The ocean's salinity levels affect how much sea ice forms and, in turn, affects Earth's albedo. The more salt there is, the more the freezing point drops, making it harder for ice to form.

Scientists find rising ocean salinity in Antarctica, reversing decades-long trends and accelerating sea ice loss.

In recent years, the Southern Ocean has undergone one of the most dramatic environmental shifts observed anywhere on Earth.

Of the world’s five ocean basins — Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern and Arctic — the Atlantic has the highest salinity, says the National Weather Service. This is because salinity ...

The ocean around Antarctica is rapidly getting saltier at the same time as sea ice is retreating at a record pace.

A massive and surprising change is unfolding around Antarctica. Scientists have discovered that the Southern Ocean is getting ...

Human activity is expected to cause fresher surface water that traps warmer and saltier layers below, so the reason for this change is unclear. “The increased salinity in the Southern Ocean is ...

In two recent studies, researchers suggest a weakening ocean current system is to blame for a persistent cold spot in the ...

The U.S. Northeast coastal ocean has experienced ... of the cold pool from different directions and over different timescales. Using salinity as a tracer can show why the cold pool ...

The smallest ocean is the Arctic Ocean, covering an area of 5.4 million square miles. Seas are usually located close to land, ... Seas and oceans have different salinity levels as well.

NASA Ocean Salinity Science Team, National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Ocean Science Division, George E. Thibault Early Career Scientist Fund, Scripps Chair for Excellence in Oceanography. DOI 10 ...