Published: Feb 17, 2026 by B. Y. Queste
A new paper led by Mauro Pinto-Juica has been published in Communications Earth & Environment.
The study, “Salt fingers contribute substantially to diapycnal oxygen transport into the oxygen minimum zone of the eastern South Pacific”, uses high-resolution microstructure, velocity, and oxygen observations to show that salt-finger instabilities can enhance vertical mixing and drive oxygen fluxes into oxygen-deficient waters.
The results suggest that double-diffusive mixing may provide a persistent and previously under-recognised ventilation pathway for oxygen minimum zones.
Congratulations Mauro and co-authors!
Read the paper: Salt fingers contribute substantially to diapycnal oxygen transport into the oxygen minimum zone of the eastern South Pacific