Ocean Networks Canada is establishing a new Antarctic Ocean observatory in partnership with the Spanish National Research Council. This initiative will provide year-round, near real-time data on ocean conditions, advancing scientific understanding of the Southern Ocean and Antarctic Ocean.
A new database of marine microbes has been created, revealing insights into the ocean's diversity and its impact on climate change. The catalog provides unprecedented information on which microbes live where and what they do.
The ocean's temperature increased by 15 zettajoules relative to 2022, with warmer surface waters contributing to extreme weather patterns. Stratification is also rising, reducing oxygen levels and affecting marine life.
Research in ACS' Environmental Science & Technology Letters suggests that PFAS are transported in a feedback loop between the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans. The study found that around 123 tons of PFAS entered the Arctic Ocean, while approximately 110 tons moved into the Atlantic Ocean in one year.
The biological carbon pump is crucial for regulating atmospheric CO2 levels, but focusing solely on export flux neglects ocean circulation's impact. Changes in ocean circulation under climate change lead to increased storage of biologically produced CO2 in the interior ocean.
The acidity of Antarctic coastal waters is projected to increase by over 100% by 2100, posing a significant threat to marine biodiversity. The Southern Ocean, surrounding Antarctica, is particularly susceptible to acidification, with the world's largest Marine Protected Area, Ross Sea region, expected to see a 104% increase in acidity.
The METEOR Expedition M197 is a research project studying the Eastern Mediterranean Sea's future changes in response to climate change and human activities. The project investigates nutrient supply, marine ecosystems, and carbon export from surface to deep waters.
A team of authors from the University of Hawaii at Manoa identifies gaps in programs aimed at increasing participation of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in ocean sciences. They highlight successful programs like the SOEST Maile Mentoring Bridge and The MEGA Lab, which prioritize culturally centered spaces and community involvem...
Researchers developed a new solver algorithm for the MPAS-Ocean ocean circulation model, reducing run time by 45% and enabling semi-implicit stability. This allows for faster climate predictions and energy efficiency, as well as reduced computational power consumption.
The Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda has warmed by 1°C over the past 40 years, with surface temperatures increasing by 0.24°C per decade since the 1980s. The ocean's salinity and oxygen levels have also decreased, leading to increased acidity, which can affect marine life.
Researchers from Incheon National University found that climate change impacts prokaryotes in oceans, altering methane and nitrous oxide cycles. This study highlights the need for policies to reduce ocean acidification and warming to stabilize vital microbial communities and greenhouse gas cycles.
A study published in Science presents records from North Atlantic sediments that agree with recent surface and deep ocean warming and freshening. The research shows a connection between the surface and deep ocean throughout the last 1,200 years.
New research reveals Indian Ocean seabirds face no hotspots where predators feast on prey, highlighting the need for ocean-wide protection. The study's findings suggest that international action is necessary to safeguard these birds' survival due to human activities like overfishing and pollution.
Researchers found that sharks and other large predatory fish visit the mesopelagic zone, a critical habitat for these species. The study suggests these animals dive to this area for reasons beyond feeding, potentially involving navigation or avoidance of predators.
A new study reveals ocean warming rates nearly doubling since the 1990s, with some areas absorbing more heat than others. The Southern Ocean saw the largest increase in heat storage over the past two decades.
Researchers from the University of Plymouth discovered coral reef bleaching at depths previously thought to be resilient, highlighting the vulnerability of mesophotic coral ecosystems to thermal stress. The study suggests that climate change is causing a deepening of the thermocline, leading to increased bleaching in the deeper ocean.
The 2024 Ocean Sciences Meeting brings together 5,000 scientists to discuss breaking research and critical issues affecting ocean sustainability. The biennial event will feature an online-only scientific session on Wednesday 21 February.
Research investigates impact of storm fronts, tropical storms, and cyclones on ocean circulation, finding changes in atmospheric synoptic variability (ASV) slow down ocean circulation and decrease primary productivity. ASV variations also affect mixing of ocean's layers and strength of oceanic circulation systems.
The ISOOS system uses a smart carrier as the mobile base and control center, connecting multiple UAVs, USVs, and AUVs for simultaneous 3D observation of targeted regions. This enables fast mapping of ocean floor and studying submesoscale eddies, previously difficult to access due to variability in space and time.
Researchers developed a precise historical reconstruction of the Red Sea circulation using fine-grained regional data. The new analysis reveals new characteristics of current circulation, temperature, salinity, and oceanic behavior, improving decision-making for megadevelopments like those in Saudi Arabia.
Two studies indicate that carbon dioxide (CO2) on Europa's surface was formed within the moon's subsurface ocean and brought to the surface on a geologically recent timescale. The findings provide new insights into the composition of Europa's internal ocean, which is thought to be habitable due to its potential for supporting life.
Scientists have developed a new method to study phytoplankton nutrient limitations using satellite remote sensing technologies, providing insights into the global ocean's carbon cycle. The research found that phytoplankton were limited by either iron or nitrogen, leading to distinct fluorescence signals detected by satellites.
A new study published in Nature highlights the importance of mineral iron in regulating the cycling of this bio-essential nutrient in the ocean. The findings show that iron levels are largely controlled by the clustering of iron oxide colloids, rather than organic molecules called ligands.
Scientists developed a new diagnostic framework to analyze oceanic mesoscale eddy transport in the Southern Ocean. The study introduces a holistic picture of eddy potential vorticity transport dynamics, providing theoretical support for potential parameterization.
A recent study found significant changes in ocean color over the past two decades, affecting 56% of the world's oceans. The shift in color indicates changes in marine ecosystems, with tropical regions becoming greener due to human-induced climate change.
A new study published in Global Change Biology suggests that large-scale ocean iron fertilization could exacerbate climate change-driven nutrient shortages and productivity losses in the tropics, potentially harming coastal fisheries. The research also showed a five percent decline in fish and marine species biomass in tropical areas d...
Researchers argue that equitable governance and science are crucial for ocean sustainability, prioritizing tropical voices and expertise. The study proposes four key actions: equity in ocean science and governance, reconnecting people and the ocean, redefining ocean literacy, and decolonizing ocean science.
A pioneering study using deep-sea corals reveals that ocean currents did not fuel the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide over the past 11,000 years. The research suggests that biogeochemical cycles redistributing nutrients and carbon in the ocean and on land may have influenced this rise.
The InVADER Mission successfully deployed a high-tech laser laboratory on the ocean floor, marking a paradigm shift in ocean research and exploration. The Laser Divebot collects compositional data without disturbing the environment, removing the need for physical samples.
A review of research on Arctic-subarctic ocean linkages suggests stronger heat convergence and increased freshwater input due to climate change. This can impact marine life and the evolution of the climate, with implications for policy-making and mitigation strategies.
Researchers from FSU analyzed the California Current Ecosystem's carbon sequestration, discovering that sinking particles are the primary process transporting organic carbon to the deep ocean. They also found that ocean currents and zooplankton contribute significantly to this process.
Recent research reveals significant increases in tropical cyclone frequency in the North Atlantic and North Indian Ocean, while decreases are observed in the western Pacific. The study also shows varying trends in intensity across different ocean basins.
A team of scientists has developed an AI model that can accurately predict ocean wave sizes, reducing the need for expensive and time-consuming numerical methods. The ConvLSTM model outperforms existing methods in terms of accuracy and efficiency, paving the way for real-time ocean forecasting.
A recent study reveals that uneven future warming in the Indian Ocean can cause shifts in monsoon precipitation, with potential impacts on societies and ecosystems. The research identifies key mechanisms driving these changes, including winds and ocean currents.
The High Seas Treaty aims to establish cooperative approaches to improve ocean management, but scientists argue that more research is needed to effectively implement the agreement. The treaty proposes massive marine protected areas covering 30% of the ocean by 2030, which could significantly improve ocean conservation.
An international research team has developed a framework to evaluate government preparedness for ocean acidification, a pressing threat to marine ecosystems. The framework identifies six aspects of effective policy and specific indicators, enabling policymakers to assess their own preparedness and identify areas for improvement.
Researchers found giant underwater waves play a crucial role in ocean's ability to store heat and carbon, challenging current climate models. The study highlights the importance of small-scale turbulence in ocean circulation, which can significantly impact global climate projections.
A new study published in PNAS reveals that the dissolution of bubbles in high-latitude oceans is a dominant pathway for gases like oxygen and nitrogen to enter the deep ocean. This improved understanding can help improve the accuracy of climate models, which are crucial for predicting changes in the ocean's carbon dioxide inventory.
Researchers from Florida State University used high-performance computing to simulate the Earth's early history, finding that an ancient magma ocean solidified in under 2 million years. This discovery helps explain chemical diversity in the lower mantle and layering within the Earth.
Research reveals hydrothermal vents as a previously undiscovered source of dissolved black carbon in the oceans, transporting it thousands of kilometers away. This discovery sheds light on the ocean's role as a carbon sink and provides insights into the formation of recalcitrant dissolved organic carbon.
Numerical simulations suggest that Mimas' Herschel impact basin is compatible with a thinning ice shell and geologically young ocean. The results imply that the present-day ocean within Mimas must have been warming and expanding since its formation, potentially making it an emerging ocean world.
Scientists have recorded another year of record-breaking ocean temperatures, indicating a perpetually heating climate. The added heat content has serious consequences, including ocean deoxygenation, altering the exchange of heat, carbon, and oxygen between the ocean and atmosphere.
A new study reveals that changing ocean circulation strengthens precipitation patterns in the Indian Ocean, leading to more intense flood events and droughts. The research suggests a mutual amplification of these effects due to global warming and weakened ocean circulation.
New study reveals marine algae adapt to nutrient-poor ocean conditions, sustaining productivity even in depleted waters. This 'metabolic hack' could impact global ocean productivity and carbon sequestration.
A study found that ocean warming and acidification decrease the nutritional quality of coccolithophores, a crucial food source for zooplankton species. The study's experiment showed an increase in lipid availability under ocean warming but reduced nutritional content under acidification.
A team of scientists found that the largest open ocean dead zone in the eastern Pacific Ocean emerged eight million years ago due to increasing nutrient content. This natural phenomenon was caused by changes in weathering and erosion on land, leading to a major transition in terrestrial ecosystems.
A study published in Nature suggests that ocean heating in the western tropical Pacific will make the East Asian monsoon season wetter. The researchers found a correlation between increases in monsoonal rain in eastern China and the heat content of the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool over the past 360,000 years.
A comprehensive review of ocean warming reveals that global ocean heat content has increased by over 90% since the 1950s. The study predicts that if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced, ocean warming will continue to accelerate, leading to more intense storms, droughts, and sea-level rise.
FathomNet aggregates images from multiple sources to create a publicly available, expertly curated underwater image training database. The database uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to alleviate the bottleneck for analyzing underwater imagery, accelerating important research around ocean health.
A new study reveals a strong correlation between accelerating Arctic ice melt and ocean acidification, posing a dual threat to climate and marine life. The increased acidity levels in the western Arctic Ocean could lead to devastating consequences for plants, shellfish, coral reefs, and other organisms.
A new study reveals the western Arctic Ocean's ocean acidification is happening at a rate three to four times higher than other oceans due to sea ice loss. The researchers found a correlation between the decrease in sea ice and increased acidification, suggesting this process could intensify over the next few decades.
A new field study reveals a previously unobserved fluid dynamic process that affects the ocean's deep-sea mining operations. Researchers equipped a pre-prototype collector vehicle with instruments to monitor its sediment plume disturbances, finding that the plumes remained relatively low and spread under their own weight.
The Southern Ocean dominates ocean heat uptake due to its unique wind-driven circulation. Rising temperatures could lead to devastating impacts on the food web and ice shelves around Antarctica, with urgent calls for reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers found that open ocean oxygen-deficient zones shrank during past warm periods due to reduced denitrification rates and changes in tropical Pacific Ocean oxygen content. This suggests a possible link between climate change and ocean oxygen levels.
Researchers studied heat movement near North Pole and under Arctic sea ice, providing insights into the mechanisms of Arctic sea ice decline. Their findings suggest that strong winds cause mixing of water where ice and ocean meet, leading to enhanced heat transfer and changes in seawater salinity.
Researchers confirm significant increase in freshwater entering the Arctic Ocean via the Bering Strait, leading to a decrease in saltiness and potential impacts on sea ice formation and regional ecosystems. This change could also affect climate-sensitive processes, such as deep water mixing in the North Atlantic.
A new study by researchers at University of California - Riverside found that the position of continents can have a devastating effect on deep ocean creatures. Continental movement can cause a sudden collapse in global water circulation, leading to a stark separation between oxygen levels in the upper and lower depths.
A new study by the University of British Columbia suggests that BC's ocean contributed around $4.9 billion to provincial GDP in 2015, with marine transport sector making the highest contribution. However, this estimate is likely an underestimate due to excluded ecosystem services and cultural value.
Climate scientists argue that climate actions need to be established at multiple time scales, with a focus on slow emerging changes such as deep ocean warming and sea-level rise. This requires the development of a system of scientific ocean monitoring with a time-scale in mind, considering risks like abrupt slowdowns of ocean circulation.
A new analysis reveals that marine RNA viruses predominantly infect protist and fungal hosts, including plankton, and sort into four distinct ecological zones. The study found that RNA viruses have a large influence on the ocean ecosystem, affecting processes like photosynthesis and ocean carbon flux.