  Ocean mesoscale variability, a key component of the climate system,
influences ocean circulation and heat, gas, carbon and nutrient distribution.
Trends on Eddy Kinetic Energy (EKE), a metric measuring its intensity, are
investigated using two products constructed from 30 years of altimetric
observations. Statistically significant positive trends in globally-averaged
EKE reveal a strengthening of 1-3% per decade. Regions of intense mesoscale
activity become more energetic than other areas. Robust positive EKE trends are
observed in the Kuroshio Extension and the Gulf Stream, with remarkable EKE
increases of ~50% and ~20%, respectively, over the last decade. Our study opens
a new question into how the observed Gulf Stream strengthening impacts the
AMOC, and challenges existing climate models emphasizing the necessity for
improved small-scale ocean process representation.
