A new study published in Science sheds light on the dim layer of the ocean known as the twilight zone, which affects the ocean's ability to absorb and store carbon dioxide. The research found that only a small percentage of carbon transported to the depths is stored, with most being recycled in the twilight zone.
A new study reveals that a sudden ocean climate change in the late 1970s may be responsible for Alaska's decline in Steller sea lion population. Climate change affected water temperatures and ocean currents determining the abundance of available fish for the sea lions to eat, leading to a decline.
Ocean acidity is rising due to increasing carbon dioxide levels, posing a threat to marine life such as corals and shellfish. The study suggests that future changes in ocean acidification are largely independent of climate change.
A delayed arrival of cold, nutrient-rich water due to altered ocean currents led to reduced barnacle and mussel larvae settlement on rocky shores. The change resulted in lower phytoplankton abundance and a recovery of mussel recruitment when stronger nutrient-rich currents arrived later.
New satellite data show that ocean warming is reducing phytoplankton growth, imperiling ocean fisheries and marine life. Phytoplankton are responsible for about the same amount of photosynthesis as all plants on land combined, making their decline a significant threat to the food chain.
A new climate model predicts that the Southern Ocean's absorption of heat and carbon dioxide will slow the rate of global warming. The ocean's ability to sequester heat and carbon dioxide could lead to sea level rise, but also change the chemistry of the water, making it less habitable for some marine organisms.
A groundbreaking FSU-led study calculates that phytoplankton generates about five times the annual total power consumption of humans, investing around one percent in mechanical energy. The findings suggest that the marine biosphere's mixing patterns may equal climate control, with potential implications for global climate regulation.
Scientists have documented unprecedented warmth in the Arctic Ocean, with recent surges of warm water from the North Atlantic Ocean continuing to pulse into the region. This increase in warm water could lead to a warmer state in the Arctic Ocean, affecting global climate patterns.
Dr. Edith Widder, a marine biologist and explorer, has received a MacArthur Fellowship for her work on deep-sea exploration and conservation. Her research focuses on using innovative technologies to study and protect marine ecosystems, with significant breakthroughs in bioluminescence and ocean observation.
Scientists determined that nitrogen is the primary element missing for algae growth in the northern tropical Pacific, while iron was lacking everywhere else. The 'iron-effect' decreases carbon ocean plant photosynthesis estimates by two billion tons, allowing for more accurate carbon movement modeling and resource management.
A new study found that large segments of the Pacific Ocean lack sufficient iron to trigger healthy phytoplankton growth, leading to overestimated ocean productivity. The researchers estimate a 2-4% reduction in global ocean carbon uptake due to this oversight.
A new analysis of 50 years of changes in freshwater inputs to the Arctic Ocean and North Atlantic reveals that freshwater increases from Arctic Ocean sources are highly linked to a fresher North Atlantic. The study, published in Science, suggests that changes in climate and atmospheric dynamics may be driving this trend.
Researchers discovered a connection between catastrophic freshwater release from glacial lakes in North America and dramatic cooling in climate records approximately 8200 years ago. The study found that the freshwater forcing led to changes in deep ocean currents, which in turn affected northern hemisphere climate.
A study found a 3.5% slowdown in the Walker circulation, which drives trade winds and ocean currents. This could lead to a decrease in wind-forced ocean flow by up to 20% by 2100, impacting marine life and fishing regions.
Geologists drilled nearly five months to recover samples of hard rock called gabbro from intact ocean crust, offering insights into fast-spreading oceanic crust formation. The discovery sheds light on the origin of oceanic crust and its composition.
A team of scientists has successfully drilled into a fossil magma chamber beneath the Pacific Ocean's crust, providing valuable insights into how new ocean crust is formed. The discovery confirms theories about the relationship between seismic velocity and crustal rock composition.
Researchers have developed a method to detect super-salty, submerged eddies called Meddies using sensor data from U.S. and European satellites. These warm, deep-water whirlpools play a significant role in carrying salty water from the Mediterranean Sea into the Atlantic, affecting global ocean circulation and climate change.
The HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) provides long-range weather prediction, enhances ocean current understanding, and supports real-time maritime operations. This innovative tool enables accurate forecasts and tracking of pollution, algal blooms, and oil spills.
Ocean acidification could lead to extinction of many marine species due to increased acidity and dissolution of calcium carbonate shells. The last time oceans endured such a drastic change in chemistry was 65 million years ago, at the same time dinosaurs went extinct.
Researchers are using electronic tags on marine animals to collect data on oceanographic conditions, such as water temperature and salinity. This data is being used to improve ocean circulation models and gain insights into the lives of California sea lions and other apex predators.
Researchers found that volcanic aerosols can cool the ocean surface by up to .037 degrees Celsius, reducing sea level rise by several centimeters. The cooling effect can persist for decades, offsetting human-induced warming and showing a significant impact of volcanoes on climate.
Researchers propose using over 8,000 barges to pump saltwater onto ice sheets in the North Atlantic, creating a thicker sea ice layer that could help strengthen the down-welling current. This method aims to reduce the impact of global warming on northern Europe's climate.
Researchers sequenced goby DNA to find evidence of invasion; genetic analysis suggests Atlantic gobies invaded during warm period 150,000 years ago. Warmer climate may lead to further expansion of marine species beyond cold water barriers.
Researchers found that Agulhas eddies, which transport seawater from the Indian Ocean to the South Atlantic Ocean, are large warm rings of water with a diameter of about 300 kilometres. These eddies import considerable quantities of heat into the Atlantic Ocean, contributing to climate change and global warming.
Researchers at the University of Illinois found that climate change affects the oceans' ability to store carbon dioxide. The best location for injecting CO2 into the deep ocean changes with climate change, with the Atlantic Ocean proving more effective than other locations.
Researchers used the Community Climate System Model (CCSM) to study the Permian extinction event, which saw 90-95% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial species die. The model found that warming ocean waters at higher latitudes due to rising CO2 levels led to a stratified ocean with little oxygen, making it deadly for marine life.
Phytoplankton population and size can change dramatically due to El Niño and La Niña events, affecting ocean ecology and influencing the climate. These changes impact carbon storage in the ocean, which in turn helps stabilize carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere.
Researchers discovered a stable state in the ocean-atmosphere system that is dramatically different from today's, contradicting previous studies. This finding suggests the Earth's system functioned differently in the past, and highlights the need for improved climate models to reproduce various climate states.
Researchers estimate that excess fresh water entered the North Atlantic Ocean, causing salinity changes and potentially slowing the ocean conveyor. The study suggests that a freshening threshold could be reached in a century, affecting heat transport and climate.
Carlos Manuel Rodriguez was awarded the first-ever Global Ocean Conservation Award for his groundbreaking work in advancing global marine conservation, fisheries reform, and ocean science. He is recognized for his leadership in securing a U.N. moratorium on high seas bottom trawling and promoting sustainable fishing practices.
A new study links drought in southern Africa to the warming of the Indian Ocean, contradicting earlier research that connected it to the Sahelian region. The analysis suggests a late 20th-century cooling of the North Atlantic Ocean was key to Sahelian drought, with recent warming leading to increased rainfall in the area.
Scientists on a research cruise are assessing ocean temperatures and collecting water samples to identify levels of carbon dioxide. The study suggests that the jet stream's strength influences both weather patterns and ocean state, leading to recent major temperature changes in the Atlantic.
Researchers have drilled a historic hole in the Atlantic Ocean floor, collecting over 3,000 feet of core samples that will be analyzed for years to come. The discovery could provide new insights into how the ocean crust was formed and has evolved over time, challenging previous understanding of the Earth's interior.
A decline in winter and spring snow cover over Southwest Asia and the Himalayan mountain range creates conditions for widespread blooms of ocean plants in the Arabian Sea. This is due to increased temperature and pressure differences between the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Sea, leading to monsoon winds that mix the ocean water.
Phytoplankton amounts have increased globally by over 4% along coastal regions, while declines were observed in mid-ocean gyres. This shift may indicate changes in the biology of oceans, particularly in coast regions, and has implications for ocean ecosystems and climate change.
Researchers found that small sections of the ocean floor may be rotating like imperfectly meshing cogs, contradicting previous expectations. The discovery provides new insights into the evolution of complex plate boundaries and has significant implications for our understanding of plate tectonics.
Scientists have created a mathematical model that accurately describes the evolution and movement of tectonic microplates, which are dynamic whirlpools of ocean floor found at mid-ocean ridges. The model uses a wax tank to simulate the ocean floor, replicating patterns seen in the Earth's crust.
A new NASA tool called Giovanni allows high school and college students to access and analyze satellite-derived ocean color data, providing insights into ocean biology. The tool uses chlorophyll patterns to study phytoplankton growth and its connection to El Nino/La Nina events.
A new study suggests that ocean tides contributed to the enigmatic Heinrich events by breaking gigantic icebergs from the ice sheet covering northern Canada. The research used a state-of-the-art computer model to capture ancient tidal variances with high accuracy, revealing that tides were highest in the Labrador Sea during these events.
The international Argo program has reached a milestone with 1,500 ocean-traveling float instruments now operating, providing valuable data on climate and weather phenomena. This coverage represents half of the target 3,000-float array, enabling scientists to monitor the planet's oceans and gain insights into ocean processes.
Researchers developed an index using satellite data to accurately predict the arrival of El Niño in the Pacific Ocean. The study found that fluctuations in rainfall and wintertime precipitation in the eastern Indian Ocean can signal early shifts in climate leading to El Niño development.
The CBLAST-Hurricane project is using new ocean probes to collect data on water conditions before, during, and after hurricanes. This information helps scientists develop better models to predict a hurricane's development, which can inform the size of storm surges that pose a threat to ships in port.
Researchers are building a cyberinfrastructure to link communities of oceanographers via high-speed wireless and optical networks to observatories in the Northeast Pacific and offshore Southern California. The prototype grid will enable routine ocean access to researchers, educators, students, and the general public.
Researchers found pronounced nitrogen oxide pollution plumes extending across central Indian Ocean, mainly from Africa and southeast Asia. The study suggests that the Indian Ocean is not always pristine and that feedbacks in atmospheric chemistry can result in downwind regions being highly insensitive to upwind emissions.
Researchers found that unicellular organisms are fixing nitrogen at rates up to three times higher than previously reported for the Pacific Ocean. This influx of nitrogen has significant implications for global carbon sequestration and climate regulation.
The ocean absorbs a significant portion of carbon dioxide emitted by human activities, but research suggests that this process may be reaching its limits. By the middle of the century, increased CO2 levels in the ocean could lead to dramatic changes in pH and acidity, affecting marine life and ecosystems.
The global survey found that about half of anthropogenic CO2 is taken up by the upper 10% of the ocean. Rising CO2 levels may alter marine food webs and diversity, threatening calcifying organisms.
A Cardiff University-led expedition has traveled aboard the RV Marion Dufresene to collect deep ocean sediment cores and reconstruct past climate changes in the North East Atlantic. The project aims to understand the role of ocean circulation in abrupt climate shifts during the last Ice Age, with a focus on the European Margin.
Hurricanes stimulate phytoplankton growth, leading to increased chlorophyll levels and carbon dioxide absorption. Bigger storms cause larger blooms, affecting the upper ocean's ecology and potentially influencing climate change.
The US Commission on Ocean Policy released a preliminary report outlining bold and broad-reaching recommendations to reform the nation's ocean policy. The report emphasizes ecosystem-based management, strengthening science and education to inform decision-making, and enhancing regional goals and priorities.
Scientists have quantified the transport of carbon from surface waters to the deep ocean in response to iron fertilization. The study found that while iron fertilization can enhance carbon flux and reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, the quantities removed are no greater than natural plankton blooms, making it a limited solution.
The subpolar gyre's weakening trend is attributed to heat exchanges from the ocean to the atmosphere playing a bigger role. This study, published on Science Express Web site, found Labrador Sea water warmed during the 1990s, reducing contrast with warmer southern latitudes and driving ocean circulation.
Scientists discovered that rapid Arctic warming is releasing ancient carbon into the ocean. Researchers also found a correlation between plasmasphere rotation and Earth's rotation lag, which affects models simulating Earth's plasmaspheric dynamics. Additionally, new models of North Atlantic Ocean circulation can now be run on personal ...
Researchers studying Arctic rivers and ocean find most organic carbon is relatively young, but warming may release older, stored carbon into the atmosphere. This could lead to a positive feedback loop, enhancing greenhouse effects and accelerating global warming.
National Ocean Commissioners and scientists propose a holistic ecosystem-based approach to manage the oceans, shifting from single-species management to integrated governance. This approach aims to restore ocean health by considering the interconnectedness of species and ecosystems.
The US government is expected to issue a draft report with recommendations for ocean policy, addressing issues like resource stewardship and pollution prevention. The commission's report emphasizes the need for ecosystem-based management to sustain long-term exploitation.
Scientists have developed a real-time operational forecast system using satellite data, providing accurate 3D ocean conditions and helping Coast Guard rescuers determine the direction of stranded individuals. The system uses multiple satellite measurements and sensor data to generate forecasts several days ahead.
A study found that three-quarters of biological activity in oceans relies on a single nutrient-rich water circulation pattern in the Southern Hemisphere. This discovery helps settle a longstanding question about ocean fertility and raises questions about potential impact of climate change.
Researchers have identified a new class of ocean ridges with unique characteristics that challenge current understanding of plate tectonics and sea floor formation. These ultraslow spreading ridges may harbor significant mineral deposits, including copper and zinc, and provide insights into the Earth's mantle.
Researchers at Columbia Climate School have discovered that the majority of water in the Indonesian Throughflow flows below 300m below the surface, making it colder and deeper than thought. This finding has significant implications for understanding heat exchange between oceans and the atmosphere.