On the surface, it looks like the ocean doesn't do a whole lot by itself. Sure, there are waves, but those are caused by the wind. Other than the massive ocean currents that fuel our climates, it doesn't seem like the ocean does very much.
But that is not the case. By very patiently and accurately bouncing radar waves off the surface of the water, scientists were able to construct a very accurate elevation map of the ocean, finding there were often small depressions, the signature of an ocean eddy. To find their volume, a whole fleet of small, automatic submersibles were used. Seriously, there's 3,000 of the things all over the world, and we never hear about them. Thanks news.
Anyway, these mesoscale eddies, as scientists are calling them (since they're medium in size), are about 60 miles across and about 3,000 feet in depth, and move very slowly, only about three miles a day. These eddies are important because they're moving vast quantities of water, and therefore transporting lots of whatever is floating in the water. They could also have a major effect on Earth's climate, and if they do, it's important to learn as much as we can about them.
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