Publications
Submitted / In review
2. Wang, X., Naveira Garabato, A.C., Fernandez Castro, B.,, Wang, X., Swart, S., du Plessis, M., Narayanan, A., Silvano, A., Clement, L.,, Lindeman, M.R. Preconditioning of polynya formation by ocean mixing at the Maud Rise, Antarctica. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans.
1. Spira, T, du Plessis, M.D., Haumann, F.A., Giddy, I.S., Narayanan, A., Silvano, A., Swart, S., 2025. Wind-triggered Antarctic sea ice decline preconditioned by thinning Winter Water. Nature Climate Change.
Peer-reviewed publications
37. Koets, R., Swart, S., Donohue, K., du Plessis, M.D.,. Observations of tracer ventilation in the Cape Basin, Agulhas Current Retroflection. EGU Ocean Science. Accepted.
36. du Plessis, M.D., Nicholson, S.A., Giddy, I.S., Monteiro, P.M., Prend, C.J., Swart. S. 2025. Southern Ocean summer warming regulated by storm-driven mixing. Nature Geoscience,, pp.1-9. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-025-01857-3
35. Ducrocq, B., Steiger, N., du Plessis, M.D., Sallée, J.B., Moreau, S., Swart, S., 2025. A Chlorophyll Halo over Maud Rise in the Southern Ocean. Nature Communications. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-66458-5
34. Cai, Y., Lei, R., Chen, D., du Plessis, M.D., Han, X., Wu, L., 2025. Anticyclonic component of eddy dipoles traps sea ice within the Marginal Ice Zone. Geophysical Research Letters. 130(10), p.e2025JC022426.. doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JC022426
33. Edholm, J.E., du Plessis, M.D., Biddle, L.C., Gille, S.T., Mazloff, M.R., Rosenthal, H.S., Swart, S., 2025. From Synoptic to Submesoscale: Understanding Sensible Heat Flux Variability in the Southern Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans. 130(10), p.e2024JC022292. doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JC022292
32. Prend, C.J., Swart, S., Stewart., A.L., du Plessis, M.D., Manuscharyan, G.E., and Thompson, A.F., 2025. Observed regimes of submesoscale dynamics in the Southern Ocean seasonal ice zone. Nature Communications. 16 (8334). doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63775-7
31. Chang, N., Nicholson, S.A., du Plessis, M.D., Lebehot, A.D., Mashifane, T., Moalusi, T.C., Mongwe, N.P. and Monteiro, P.M., 2025. BIOPERIANT12: a mesoscale resolving coupled physics-biogeochemical model for the Southern Ocean. Geoscientific Model Development Discussions, 18, 6415–6438. doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-6415-2025
30. Thomalla, S. J., Hancock, A. M., Beadling, R. L., Josey, A., Milward, J., Mohamed, A., Pezzi, L. P., du Plessis, M., Ryan-Keogh, T. J., Schulz, C., Shi, J-R., and Souza, E. 2025. Southern Ocean in [“State of the Climate in 2024”]. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 106 (8), S384-S387. doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-25-0087.1
29. Naëck, K., Boutin, J., Swart, S., du Plessis, M.D., Merlivat, L., Beaumont, L., Lourenco, A., d’Ovidio, F., Rousselet, L., Ward, B. and Sallée, J.B., 2025. Anomalous summertime CO2 sink in the subpolar Southern Ocean promoted by early 2021 sea ice retreat. Biogeosciences, 22(8), pp.1947-1968. doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1947-2025
28. Prend, C.J., du Plessis, M.D., Mazloff, M.R., Sunnercrantz, L., Swart, S. and Gille, S.T., 2025. Observing system requirements for measuring high-frequency air–sea fluxes in the Southern Ocean. Elem Sci Anth, 13(1), p.00061. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2024.00061
27. Patterson, R.G., Cronin, M.F., Swart, S., Beja, J., Edholm, J.M., McKenna, J., Palter, J.B., Parker, A., Addey, C.I., Boone, W., Bhuyan, P., du Plessis, M.D., and others., 2025. Uncrewed surface vehicles in the Global Ocean Observing System: a new frontier for observing and monitoring at the air-sea interface. Frontiers in Marine Science, 12, p.1523585. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1523585
26. Jacob, B., Queste, B.Y. and du Plessis, M.D., 2024. Turbulent heat flux dynamics along the Dotson and Getz ice-shelf fronts (Amundsen Sea, Antarctica). EGUsphere, 2024, pp.1-33. doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-359-2025
25. Spira, T., Swart, S., Giddy, I. and du Plessis, M.D., 2024. The observed spatiotemporal variability of Antarctic Winter Water. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 129(10), p.e2024JC021017. doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JC021017
24. Patmore, R.D., Ferreira, D., Marshall, D.P., du Plessis, M.D., Brearley, J.A. and Swart, S., 2024. Evaluating Existing Ocean Glider Sampling Strategies for Submesoscale Dynamics. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 41(7), pp.647-663. doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-23-0055.1
23. Gutiérrez-Loza, L., Cronin, M.F., Marandino, C., Swart, S., Bourassa, M.A., du Plessis, M.D., Edholm, J.M., Fairall, C.W., Gille, S.T., Karstensen, J. and Looney, L.B., 2024. The Need for a Community of Practice for Air-Sea Flux Observations. Marine Technology Society Journal, 58(1-2), pp.20-25. doi: https://doi.org/10.4031/MTSJ.58.1.3
22. Oelerich, R., Heywood, K.J., Damerell, G.M., du Plessis, M.D., Biddle, L.C. and Swart, S., 2023. Stirring across the Antarctic Circumpolar Current’s Southern boundary at the Greenwich Meridian, Weddell Sea. EGUsphere, 2023, pp.1-23. doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1465-2023
21. Clem, K.R., Adusumilli, S., Baiman, R., Banwell, A.F., Barreira, S., Beadling, R.L., Bozkurt, D., Colwell, S., Coy, L., Datta, R.T. and De Laat, J., du Plessis, M.D., and others., 2023. Antarctica and the southern ocean. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 104(9), pp.S322-S365. doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-23-0077.1
20. Narayanan, A., Gille, S.T., Mazloff, M.R., du Plessis, M.D., Murali, K. and Roquet, F., 2023. Zonal distribution of Circumpolar Deep Water transformation rates and its relation to heat content on Antarctic shelves. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 128(6), p.e2022JC019310. doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JC019310
19. Thomalla, S.J., du Plessis, M.D., Fauchereau, N., Giddy, I., Gregor, L., Henson, S., Joubert, W.R., Little, H., Monteiro, P.M., Mtshali, T. and Nicholson, S., 2023. Southern Ocean phytoplankton dynamics and carbon export: insights from a seasonal cycle approach. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, 381(2249), p.20220068. doi: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2022.0068
18. Swart, S., du Plessis, M.D., Nicholson, S.A., Monteiro, P.M., Dove, L.A., Thomalla, S., Thompson, A.F., Biddle, L.C., Edholm, J.M., Giddy, I. and Heywood, K.J., 2023. The Southern Ocean mixed layer and its boundary fluxes: fine-scale observational progress and future research priorities. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, 381(2249), p.20220058. doi: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2022.0058
17. SO-CHIC consortium, Sallée, J.B., Abrahamsen, E.P., Allaigre, C., Auger, M., Ayres, H., Badhe, R., Boutin, J., Brearley, J.A., de Lavergne, C. and ten Doeschate, A.M.M., du Plessis., M.D., and others., 2023. Southern ocean carbon and heat impact on climate. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, 381(2249), p.20220056. doi: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2022.0056
16. Cronin, M.F., Swart, S., Marandino, C.A., Anderson, C., Browne, P., Chen, S., Joubert, W.R., Schuster, U., Venkatesan, R., Addey, C.I., Alves, O., du Plessis, M., and others., 2023. Developing an observing air–sea interactions strategy (OASIS) for the global ocean. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 80(2), pp.367-373. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsac149
15. Edholm, J.M., Swart, S., du Plessis, M.D., and Nicholson, S.A., 2022. Atmospheric rivers contribute to summer surface buoyancy forcing in the atlantic sector of the southern ocean. Geophysical Research Letters, 49(17), p.e2022GL100149. doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL100149
14. du Plessis, M.D., Swart, S., Biddle, L.C., Giddy, I.S., Monteiro, P.M., Reason, C.J.C., Thompson, A.F. and Nicholson, S.A., 2022. The daily‐resolved Southern Ocean mixed layer: Regional contrasts assessed using glider observations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 127(4), p.e2021JC017760. doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JC017760
13. Nicholson, S.A., Whitt, D.B., Fer, I., du Plessis, M.D., Lebéhot, A.D., Swart, S., Sutton, A.J. and Monteiro, P.M., 2022. Storms drive outgassing of CO2 in the subpolar Southern Ocean. Nature communications, 13(1), p.158. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27780-w
12. Stammerjohn, S., Scambos, T.A., Adusumilli, S., Barreira, S., Bernhard, G.H., Bozkurt, D., Bushinsky, S.M., Clem, K.R., Colwell, S., Coy, L. and De Laat, J., du Plessis, M., 2021. Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in [State of the Climate 2020]. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 102(8), pp.S317-S356. doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0081.1
11. Giddy, I., Swart, S., du Plessis, M., Thompson, A.F. and Nicholson, S.A., 2021. Stirring of sea‐ice meltwater enhances submesoscale fronts in the Southern Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 126(4), p.e2020JC016814. doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JC016814
10. Abrahamsen, E.P., Barreira, S., Bitz, C.M., Butler, A., Clem, K.R., Colwell, S., Coy, L., de Laat, J., du Plessis, M.D., Fogt, R.L. and Fricker, H.A., and others. 2020. Antarctica and the Southern Ocean [in State of the Climate in 2019]. doi: https://doi.org/doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-20-0090.1
9. Swart, S., du Plessis, M.D., Thompson, A.F., Biddle, L.C., Giddy, I., Linders, T., Mohrmann, M. and Nicholson, S.A., 2020. Submesoscale fronts in the Antarctic marginal ice zone and their response to wind forcing. Geophysical Research Letters, 47(6), p.e2019GL086649. doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL086649
8. Gregor, L., Ryan-Keogh, T.J., Nicholson, S.A., Du Plessis, M., Giddy, I. and Swart, S., 2019. GliderTools: A Python toolbox for processing underwater glider data. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, p.738. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00738
7. Swart, S., Gille, S.T., Delille, B., Josey, S., Mazloff, M., Newman, L., Thompson, A.F., Thomson, J., Ward, B., du Plessis, M.D. and Kent, E.C., 2019. Constraining Southern Ocean air-sea-ice fluxes through enhanced observations. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, p.421. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00421
6. du Plessis, M., Swart, S., Ansorge, I.J., Mahadevan, A. and Thompson, A.F., 2019. Southern ocean seasonal restratification delayed by submesoscale wind–front interactions. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 49(4), pp.1035-1053. doi: hhttps://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-18-0136.1
5. Dike, V.N., Addi, M., Andang’o, H.A., Attig, B.F., Barimalala, R., Diasso, U.J., du Plessis, M., Lamine, S., Mongwe, P.N., Zaroug, M. and Ochanda, V.K., 2018. Obstacles facing Africa’s young climate scientists. Nature Climate Change, 8(6), pp.447-449. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0178-x
4. Morris, T., Hermes, J., Beal, L., du Plessis, M., Rae, C.D., Gulekana, M., Lamont, T., Speich, S., Roberts, M. and Ansorge, I.J., 2017. The importance of monitoring the Greater Agulhas Current and its inter-ocean exchanges using large mooring arrays. South African Journal of Science, 113(7-8), pp.1-7. doi: https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2017/20160330
3. du Plessis, M., Swart, S., Ansorge, I.J. and Mahadevan, A., 2017. Submesoscale processes promote seasonal restratification in the s ubantarctic o cean. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 122(4), pp.2960-2975. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JC012494
2. Ansorge, I.J., Brundrit, G., Brundrit, J., Dorrington, R., du Plessis, M.D., Fawcett, S., Gammon, D., Henry, T., Hermes, J., Hölscher, B., d’Hotman, J. and Meiklejohn, I., 2016. SEAmester-South Africa’s first class afloat. South African Journal of Science, 112(9-10), pp.1-4. doi: https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2016/a0171
1. Fraser, C.I., Kay, G.M., du Plessis, M.D. and Ryan, P.G., 2017. Breaking down the barrier: dispersal across the Antarctic Polar Front. Ecography, 40(1), pp.235-237. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.02449