Australia: Scientists discover mysterious network of underwater rivers along coastline

Scientists from  University of Western Australia have discovered an unprecedented system of underwater rivers inside ocean on continental shelf of southwestern sea beds at a scale that occurs where in world. undersea phemen – called Dense Shelf Water Cascades – shows layers of dense water that creep along  ocean floor, according to new data recorded by UWA-operated ocean gliders submersibles, also part of national Integrated Marine Observing System. 

observations were published in Nature Scientific Reports Journal on June 19 as new study ‘Occurrence and seasonal variability of Dense Shelf Water Cascades along Australian continental shelves.’ “Defined as Dense Shelf Water Cascade (DSWC), analysis of field data, collected from multiple ocean glider data missions around Australia, confirmed that under a range of wind and tidal conditions, DSWC was a regular occurrence during autumn and winter months over a coastline spanning over 10,000 km (6,200 miles) of Australian coastline,” study ted.

Furr, it revealed, currently at ir peak, se rivers occur when heat loss causes shallower water to cool, which forces dense water to form an inner shelf. water n flows offshore along Australian seabed and forms several underwater rivers. Dr. Tanziha Mahjabin, lead researcher of UWA Ph.D. sis, said that  data that spanned more than a decade and was equivalent to spending more than 2500 days at sea, was accumulated using Integrated Marine Observing System that detected eight sites surrounding Australia.  

results put toger by scientists between years 2008 and 2019 showed that phemen was seasonally variable which invariably heightened in winter due to heat loss in shallower waters. Professor Chari Pattiaratchi from UWA’s Oceans Graduate School and Oceans Institute said that because water flow was below surface, satellites were used to track surface features such as river plumes and ocean gliders were deployed. “This is most significant discovery for coastal oceagraphy in recent decades, t only in Australia but globally,” Professor Pattiaratchi said. 

We were able to examine data from different areas of Australia and also look at seasonal variability, Dr. Mahjabin said in published report.

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Largely driven by wind, tides, buoyancy

In a statement, University of Western Australia Professor Pattiaratchi explained, "se dense shelf water cascades are common in high-latitude regions as a result of ice formation, but this is first time se processes have been discovered in sub-tropical regions, and to be present throughout year.” study discovered that  Circulation and mixing on continental shelves in Australia were also largely driven by wind, tides, and input of buoyancy at boundaries (terrestrial and air-sea interface). In shallow continental shelves, such as at Two Rocks, where Ekman depth is 70 m,  influence of earth rotation is minimal refore, buoyancy-influenced coastal currents reduced and rivers were t formed to that greater a degree.  

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