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Author: Channing Prend

I'm a physical oceanography PhD student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. I use a combination of numerical models, observations, and remote sensing to investigate the role of the ocean in climate. I'm particularly interested in Southern Ocean dynamics, including air-sea-ice interactions and physical controls on biogeochemistry.
Impact of Climate Change on Antarctic Waters
Biogeochemistry Climate Change Ocean Acidification Physical oceanography

Impact of Climate Change on Antarctic Waters

A recent study demonstrate the critical importance of Antarctic winds and meltwater to modeling the recent observed changes in Southern…
January 16, 2020 Channing Prend
Icebergs Fertilize Phytoplankton Growth
Biogeochemistry Biological oceanography Climate Change Glaciers

Icebergs Fertilize Phytoplankton Growth

Icebergs contain iron, the limiting nutrient for phytoplankton in the polar regions. Icebergs, therefore, have the potential to stimulate biological…
December 18, 2019 Channing Prend
Key Role of Sea Ice in Glacial Cycles
Biogeochemistry Paleoceanography Physical oceanography Sea Ice

Key Role of Sea Ice in Glacial Cycles

A recent study using an idealized model finds that changes in Antarctic sea ice and circulation, triggered by atmospheric cooling,…
November 20, 2019 Channing Prend
Phytoplankton Bloom Driven by Volcanic Eruption
Biological oceanography Physical oceanography Volcanoes

Phytoplankton Bloom Driven by Volcanic Eruption

A large volcanic eruption in 2018 deposited tons of lava into the Pacific Ocean. Scientists were puzzled that the lava-impacted…
October 17, 2019October 17, 2019 Channing Prend
How important is carbon export by ocean eddies?
Biogeochemistry Physical oceanography

How important is carbon export by ocean eddies?

A recent paper uses an ocean model to investigate the relative importance of carbon sequestration by eddies transporting phytoplankton into…
September 20, 2019 Channing Prend
Antarctic phytoplankton blooms linked to seafloor topography
Biogeochemistry Physical oceanography

Antarctic phytoplankton blooms linked to seafloor topography

A recent study uses observations from robotic floats to examine phytoplankton blooms in the Southern Ocean. The data show that…
August 19, 2019 Channing Prend
What caused a massive hole in Antarctic sea ice?
Physical oceanography Sea Ice

What caused a massive hole in Antarctic sea ice?

In 2016 and 2017, a massive hole developed in the Antarctic sea ice. Scientists investigated the processes that led to…
July 23, 2019 Channing Prend
Reevaluating the Ocean Conveyer Belt
Physical oceanography

Reevaluating the Ocean Conveyer Belt

A recent study suggests that surface processes in the Indian and Pacific Oceans may be more important to global ocean…
December 3, 2018December 7, 2018 Channing Prend
Biological oceanography Climate Change Physical oceanography Remote Sensing Sea Ice

Phytoplankton Expanding Northward as Arctic Sea Ice Retreats

A recent study uses satellite data to show that Arctic sea ice retreat is causing changes in the timing and…
November 2, 2018 Channing Prend
Mixing Up Microalgae
Biogeochemistry Biological oceanography Physical oceanography

Mixing Up Microalgae

A recent study shows that within the mixed layer—the region of the upper ocean where temperature and salinity are homogeneous—biological…
October 23, 2018October 23, 2018 Channing Prend
Antarctic Eddies Suck Carbon from the Atmosphere
Biochemistry Climate Change Physical oceanography Remote Sensing

Antarctic Eddies Suck Carbon from the Atmosphere

A recent study from researchers at the University of Tasmania investigates the relationship between ocean eddies and phytoplankton growth in…
September 4, 2018 Channing Prend
Who Governs the Ocean Around Antarctica?
Climate Change Conservation Human impacts Policy Sea Ice

Who Governs the Ocean Around Antarctica?

Antarctica is often considered an untouched wilderness. While its location is remote, the region is hardly undisturbed by human activity.…
August 1, 2018August 1, 2018 Channing Prend
Sea Ice Modifies Biological Processes
Biogeochemistry Climate Change Physical oceanography Sea Ice

Sea Ice Modifies Biological Processes

A recent study investigates the relationship between sea ice variability and phytoplankton growth in climate models. Phytoplankton are responsible for…
July 2, 2018July 2, 2018 Channing Prend
Sea Ice Drives Global Circulation
Climate Change Physical oceanography Sea Ice

Sea Ice Drives Global Circulation

A recent study uses observational data from the Antarctic to show that sea ice processes help drive the global current…
June 5, 2018 Channing Prend
Predicted Change to the Southern Ocean Silicate Front
Biogeochemistry Climate Change Physical oceanography

Predicted Change to the Southern Ocean Silicate Front

The Southern Ocean Silicate Front (SF) is an important boundary separating waters that are silicate-rich and waters that are silicate-poor.…
May 7, 2018 Channing Prend
Why is Antarctic Sea Ice Growing?
Atmospheric Science Climate Change Physical oceanography Sea Ice

Why is Antarctic Sea Ice Growing?

Despite increases in global ocean temperatures, long-term trends actually show an increase in Antarctic sea ice extent. There are a…
April 6, 2018April 6, 2018 Channing Prend
Around the Antarctic in 17 Years
Physical oceanography

Around the Antarctic in 17 Years

The transport of water from the deep ocean to the surface has many important impacts on global climate. By releasing…
March 12, 2018March 12, 2018 Channing Prend
Iceberg Impacts
Climate Change Glaciers Physical oceanography Sea Ice Sea-level Rise

Iceberg Impacts

Accurately predicting ice sheet melt location and timing is crucial to understanding and modeling global climate. In order to do…
February 12, 2018March 12, 2018 Channing Prend
Sea Ice Mixes it Up
Sea Ice

Sea Ice Mixes it Up

Sea ice extent and concentration is driven by a complex combination of circulation and mixing, as well as interaction with…
January 17, 2018March 12, 2018 Channing Prend
Fate of Dissolved Carbon in the Antarctic
Biogeochemistry Climate Change Physical oceanography Sea Ice

Fate of Dissolved Carbon in the Antarctic

The ocean surrounding Antarctica, called the Southern Ocean, accounts for about 40% of the total global ocean carbon uptake. This…
December 15, 2017March 12, 2018 Channing Prend

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