Researcher Spotlight - Meet Dr. Evridiki Chrysagi, Exploring Small-Scale Ocean Processes

What motivates you to work in this field?

“Understanding the ocean is crucial for our future, as it plays a vital role in regulating the Earth’s climate. Yet many of the physical processes that govern ocean circulation and mixing are still poorly understood. These knowledge gaps limit our ability to predict how the ocean will respond to climate change and how it will, in turn, influence the climate system. Leveraging observations, theory, and numerical models to improve our understanding of these processes, and to reduce uncertainty in climate projections, is what motivates me to work in this field.”

What are your primary research interests?

“My research primarily focuses on small-scale oceanic processes, known as submesoscales. These are fine-scale (0.1–10 km horizontal scale), short-lived (days to hours), energetic motions that bridge the gap between the mesoscale regime and small-scale turbulence, facilitating the transfer of energy across scales. Together with mesoscale eddies, submesoscales can be viewed as the “weather of the ocean.” Acting as mini-storms, they rapidly mix heat, carbon, and nutrients, which makes them critically important for both the climate system and marine ecosystems.”

What do you believe are the most pressing challenges in climate science today, and how does your work contribute to addressing them?

“One pressing challenge in climate science is incorporating small-scale ocean processes into climate models to improve their accuracy. To achieve this, we first need to understand how these processes, such as submesoscale motions, transfer energy and mix heat and carbon.”

How does collaboration across different institutions and disciplines enhance the impact of your research?

Oceanography is inherently multidisciplinary, and collaboration across institutions and disciplines significantly enhances the impact of my research. Working with researchers from different backgrounds and institutes allows us to combine expertise, foster new ideas, and address scientific questions more comprehensively.

Can you share a recent project or discovery that you found particularly exciting or meaningful?

“It is fascinating how storms influence submesoscale motions. We recently found that storms can affect not only surface submesoscales but also trigger submesoscale eddies and fronts in the ocean interior, below the surface layer. These deep-water motions play an important role in transferring energy, mixing water masses, and facilitating exchanges between boundary and offshore waters.”

What advice would you give to students or young researchers interested in pursuing a career in climate sciences?

“It is often said that curiosity killed the cat, but curiosity is precisely what drives scientific research. My advice to students and young researchers is therefore to stay curious about the natural world, ask questions, and remain persistent and patient, as progress in science often takes time.”

What is the best way to connect with you for potential research collaboration?

“The best way to connect with me is by email at evridiki.chrysagi[at]uni-hamburg.de.”