Researchers are equipping elephant seals and autonomous underwater gliders with monitoring devices in order to uncover the mysteries of the oceans and enhance our comprehension of the effects of climate change. The oceans play a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate by absorbing heat and redistributing it across the planet. Additionally, they serve as a significant storage space for carbon dioxide emissions, helping to slow down the pace of climate change. However, scientists emphasize the need to expand a global monitoring network, with particular focus on the Southern Ocean situated between Australia and Antarctica. This region is a major repository for human-produced carbon emissions and plays a critical role in shaping the Earth's climate. "To grasp the speed at which climate change is occurring, it is crucial to comprehend ocean processes such as the rate at which heat and carbon can be stored," explained oceanographer Susan Wijffels, who leads a team for Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS). Speaking from a climate conference in Hobart, Tasmania, she emphasized how the ocean's actions impact the pace and regional patterns of climate change. In addition, scientists aim to enhance their understanding of natural ocean cycles that influence terrestrial weather to enhance long-term forecasts for agriculture and urban water management. IMOS collaborates with researchers from various Australian universities, research institutions, and international partners in the United States, Asia, and Europe. With recent funding, the team plans to equip approximately 100 elephant seals with devices to gather data from the depths surrounding Antarctica. A small device with an antenna is attached to the heads of seals to collect data on temperature, salinity, and pressure as they dive for food. Additionally, self-propelled gliders measuring about 2 meters in length will be deployed in Australian waters to depths of 1,500 meters to gather information. These gliders, equipped with wings and a rudder, can remain at sea for extended periods and are operated remotely. The focus is on the area of sea ice near Antarctica where current measurement devices, known as Argos, struggle to function efficiently as they need to resurface frequently to transmit data to satellites. Argos are cylindrical devices that move between depths of up to 2 km. Thousands of new types of Argos are being deployed globally, with some being developed to detect breaks in sea ice and transmit data. According to Wijffels, the oceans under the ice are currently not being adequately monitored by global and national observation systems. There is growing concern that the ocean may be transferring heat into the sea ice zone, potentially contributing to the destabilization of the massive iceshelves in Greenland and Antarctica. Scientists warn that if all the ice in Greenland were to melt, it could raise sea levels by 7 meters (23 feet). The increasing levels of carbon dioxide are causing oceans to become more acidic, which is impacting sea creatures' ability to produce shells. There is concern that this increased acidity could hinder the ocean's ability to absorb carbon. The program also seeks to enhance monitoring of significant currents in Australia that distribute heat globally, including through the Lombok Strait near Bali in Indonesia, using deep-ocean moorings. While these measurements are more prevalent in the North Atlantic, there is a significant gap in data collection in the Southern Hemisphere, according to Wijffels.