Experiencing deep and global currents at a 'Prototypical Strait', 1870s and 1980s

Area of Science:

• Oceanography
• History of Science
• Science and Technology Studies (STS)

Background:

• Deep ocean currents are largely imperceptible, posing challenges for direct human observation.
• Scientific understanding of ocean circulation relies on instruments, observational traditions, and theoretical models.
• The concept of scientific experience has been broadened to include collective and operational transformations of the natural world.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the instrumental and epistemological resources used to study deep-water circulation.
• To compare the observation of deep ocean currents at the Strait of Gibraltar in two distinct periods: circa 1870 and circa 1985.
• To explore the role of global empires in motivating and providing infrastructure for oceanographic research.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing temperature and salinity data as proxies for water masses to detect and map deep ocean currents.
• Employing scientific models and cross-scale analysis to contextualize local observations within global ocean circulation.
• Examining historical scientific works and project documentation from William B. Carpenter and the Gibraltar Experiment.

Main Results:

• The detection and mapping of the Gibraltar undercurrent relied on indirect measurements (temperature, salinity).
• Connecting local undercurrent data to global circulation patterns required sophisticated modeling and scale-bridging.
• Both historical periods studied (ca. 1870 and ca. 1985) were underpinned by globalizing motivations and infrastructures provided by empires.

Conclusions:

• Scientific observation of deep ocean currents is an operational and collective endeavor, extending beyond direct perception.
• Technological advancements and theoretical frameworks evolve, but the fundamental reliance on proxy data and modeling persists.
• Geopolitical contexts, particularly the influence of global empires, have historically shaped the scope and infrastructure of oceanographic research.