But a recent study found that one particular region is key to life in the deep ocean. Take a cold dive on today's EnvrionMinute. It's called Antarctic bottom water and a recent study has found a lot of it in a region known as the Adelie Land coast. Bottom water is sea water that is dense and full of oxygen. It helps to keep the ocean healthy and it contributes to the currents that push heat around the planet.
Frigid temperatures get the process going.
As the sea turns to ice, salt is released into the water that's still a liquid. That cold, liquid water becomes heavy so heavy that it sinks. A hefty supply of oxygen is taken with it. But this massive chemical reaction is a delicate system. It could be threatened by global warming.