Exploring Earth's Oceans: Prioritizing Close-to-Home Observations

While we have managed to land a camera on Venus, we are still learning about our own oceans. To better understand the climate-regulating role of Earth's oceans, we need to increase efforts to observe them, particularly focusing on the Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean is unique due to Antarctica's sea ice and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Rapid changes in this region necessitate increased capacity for observation and measurement. Collaboration among researchers is crucial, as is the deployment of new technologies to monitor changing conditions. The lack of direct observations has led to surprises and gaps in knowledge, highlighting the importance of investing in observing Earth's oceans to better understand and respond to climate change.