Articles tagged with Ocean Currents
A new study found that plastic pollution is ingested by juvenile sea turtles, leading them to accumulate in highly polluted areas like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The research team examined 121 sea turtles from five species and found that 86% of loggerheads and 83% of greens contained plastic.
A new study suggests that targeted removals of lionfish combined with long-term monitoring can effectively suppress their populations in the Mediterranean. Divers and citizen scientists conducted removal events and surveys over six months, revealing that population numbers recovered within three months in some locations.
New research suggests abnormal ocean currents, rather than temperature changes, cause the occasional appearance of pelagic red crabs outside their native range. A seawater flow index was created to help researchers detect abnormal currents, providing a tool for understanding climate change and its effects on coastal species.
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current flowed more rapidly during the last interglacial period, with a flow speed 10-15% higher than today. This could lead to an increase in global temperatures and a decline in the ocean's capacity to absorb CO2.
Researchers identify mechanisms behind formation of sub-mesoscale eddies in Straits of Florida, which play a crucial role in retaining marine organisms and nutrients. The study reveals that shear instability on the shelf contributes to the formation of these eddies, with barotropic and baroclinic instabilities driving their development.
Coelacanths have been found to live up to 84 years old and take over five years to gestate their offspring. Their slow life history makes them vulnerable to conservation threats, with the African coelacanth assessed as critically endangered.
Researchers found evidence of massive icebergs drifting from Northeast Canada to southern Florida using high-resolution seafloor mapping and radiocarbon dating. The discovery provides insight into the interactions between icebergs/glaciers and climate, shedding light on how past changes in freshwater forcing influenced shifts in climate.
The Pine Island Glacier's ice shelf has been losing a significant portion of its area in recent years, causing the glacier to speed up. The study found that internal forces on the glacier are responsible for this process, which could lead to a more rapid and abrupt collapse.
Researchers have developed a new method to track ocean microplastics using satellite data, revealing seasonal changes in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and releases from the Yangtze River. The study provides valuable information for cleaning up microplastic pollution and deploying resources more efficiently.
A recent study published in Proceedings of the IEEE reveals that high-frequency signals can be managed more effectively than previously thought, addressing key challenges in 6G technology. The research has significant implications for applications such as haptic internet, mobile edge computing, and holographic communication.
Researchers confirm lionfish have invaded Brazilian waters, posing a significant threat to local ecosystems and species. The invasive fish can disrupt ecosystems and disperse quickly due to their broad diet and unique hunting style.
A study found that North Atlantic right whales are significantly shorter today than they were 30-40 years ago, with average length decline of 7%. The researchers suggest that severe entanglements in fishing gear may be the main cause of this decline.
Researchers at the University of Bern found that most plastic waste does not end up in open ocean, but instead remains near coastlines or on beaches. The study suggests that regions with large sources of plastic waste, such as Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean, are disproportionately affected.
A new study reveals that winds play a crucial role in driving changes in ocean circulation patterns, particularly in the sub-polar North Atlantic. The study's findings suggest that future climate change may alter annual AMOC variability in this region.
A new European collaboration outlines initial steps towards a united global plan to protect the ocean's health. The researchers emphasize holistic collaboration to address threats like climate change and pollution, while highlighting the benefits of access to healthy coasts on human wellbeing.
Researchers found that sharks rely on magnetic fields to guide them during long-distance migrations. Bonnethead sharks were used in experiments, which showed that they orient themselves based on the magnetic field, even when exposed to fields outside their natural range.
Researchers found that baby green sea turtles actively orient to the Sargasso Sea, a key habitat during their early years. The discovery sheds light on the turtles' migration patterns and informs conservation efforts.
A ship's container lost at sea resulted in printer cartridges washing up on coastlines from Florida to Norway, contaminating the environment with metals like titanium and copper. The study used social media sightings and ocean modeling tools to track the spread of the cargo, highlighting the speed and reach of ocean currents.
Recent study reveals significant strengthening of tropical Pacific western boundary currents (WBCs) over the past six decades, primarily driven by temperature change. The WBCs' intensification is attributed to a strengthening of trade winds in the western Pacific Ocean.
Researchers at FSU's Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies have developed a new virtual tool to track marine litter in the ocean. The tool provides insights into where mismanaged plastic waste is released and ends up, informing policies and regulations to mitigate its impact.
African mangrove populations exhibit high genetic diversity, with distinct populations separated by ocean currents and facilitated by connectivity. The study highlights the importance of conservation efforts to protect these ecosystems and their unique biodiversity.
A team of scientists has discovered that sponges leave trails on the sea floor in the Arctic deep sea, leading to speculation about their possible active movement. The findings, published in Current Biology, challenge previous assumptions that most sponges are attached or passively moved by ocean currents.
Researchers observed dense networks of sponge spicules indicating mobility in Arctic sponges. The trails suggest the sponges may be searching for food or reproducing, with further studies needed to confirm the reasons behind this surprising behavior.
The Red Sea is now considered a mature ocean basin, approximately 13 million years old, with features similar to those of the young southern Atlantic Ocean. The study uses gravity and earthquake data to develop a new tectonic model, revealing hidden structures such as rift axes and transform faults.
The Equatorial Undercurrent has strengthened by over 20% since 2008, leading to increased oxygen concentrations and a habitat expansion for tropical pelagic fish. The strengthening of the current is mainly caused by strengthening trade winds in the western tropical North Atlantic.
A new theory explains how suspended sediment particles mysteriously move upward on submarine canyon slopes, defying gravity. This discovery helps understand biogeochemical cycles at continental margins and feeding behavior of suspension feeders like baleen whales and krill.
The study reveals a deep connection between the glacier and Pine Island Bay, and identifies distinct paths for warm water to access and attack the ice shelf. This could lead to increased melting and instability in the Thwaites Glacier, with implications for global sea level rise.
Scientists predict ocean currents on Enceladus, driven by salinity variations like those in Earth's Southern Ocean. The research suggests a pole-to-equator circulation influencing heat and nutrient distribution.
A new study published in Nature reveals that transform faults are actively involved in shaping the ocean floors, contradicting a previous assumption. The research found that these faults cause extension of the seafloor and magmatism at their outer corners.
The global ocean is expected to become a source of ozone-depleting CFC-11, reversing its longtime role as a sink. By 2075, the oceans will emit more CFC-11 than they absorb, with detectable amounts by 2130, and climate change accelerating this shift.
Scientists have discovered two species of sea slugs that can regenerate their entire body, including the heart, after shedding their head. The slugs' unique ability to photosynthesize using chloroplasts from algae may help them survive long enough for regeneration.
A new study uses a high-resolution ocean model to track the migration of baby sea turtles in their 'lost years'. The model shows that hatchlings are swept towards regions with favorable food availability, increasing their chances of survival. This research provides insights into the critical stages of sea turtle conservation efforts.
A record-high amount of Arctic freshwater is expected to flow into the Labrador Sea, impacting local marine environments and global ocean currents. The freshwater, which has increased by 40% over the past two decades, will travel through the Canadian Archipelago rather than traditional marine passageways.
Seahorses spread globally by riding ocean currents, adapting to new habitats with rapidly evolving genomes. The researchers found that seahorses from Africa cross the southern Atlantic Ocean into South America, introducing genetic material into local populations.
Researchers propose new model to accurately represent iceberg melt speed, with implications for oceanographers and climate scientists. Icebergs do not melt uniformly but at different speeds depending on shape.
A new study shows that rapid ice melt in the Arctic during the last deglaciation parallels current melt rates, raising concerns about climate change. The research used marine sediment cores to reconstruct the state of the environment 20,000-10,000 years ago and found a consistent correlation between global warming and ice sheet retreat.
A new study explores the potential of voyage optimization to reduce carbon intensity in short sea shipping. Researchers found that carbon intensity savings can reach up to 11% through route optimization, making it a viable operational measure for meeting short-term targets.
University of Delaware Assistant Professor Carlos Moffat studies coastal systems and glacial ice retreat to understand global sea level rise. He will investigate freshwater discharge and its impact on ocean circulation and marine organisms.
The MARLIT app uses deep learning techniques to detect and quantify floating plastics in the sea, achieving an 80% reliability rate. Researchers analyzed over 3,800 aerial images to develop this algorithm, which can aid in assessing plastic pollutants worldwide.
Surface slicks off West Hawai'i harbor an astounding array of marine life, including over 112 species of commercially and ecologically important fishes. These 'bioslicks' form an interconnected superhighway of nursery habitat, attracting tons of young fishes with dense concentrations of food and shelter.
This study by Guangfa Zhong and Xiaotong Peng presents novel findings on the distribution patterns and dispersion mechanisms of deep-sea plastic waste in a submarined canyon. Plastic litter items are highly heterogeneously distributed, with most occurring in longitudinal litter piles.
A new international study suggests that starvation is contributing to the mortality of gray whales along the west coast of Mexico, USA, and Canada. The researchers used drone photogrammetry to measure the body condition of the whales, which showed a marked decline in juvenile and adult gray whales visiting Laguna San Ignacio.
A new study finds that pteropods sampled off the coasts of Washington and Oregon made thinner shells than those in offshore waters. The shells' thinness is attributed to increasing ocean acidity, which interferes with the organisms' ability to build their exoskeletons.
The ocean floor is accumulating marine litter, with plastics and fishing gears dominating seafloor litter hotspots. The study highlights the need for new methodologies and tools to quantify litter occurrence and distribution.
A research team from the University of Miami used a 600-year-old marine sponge to reconstruct Atlantic Ocean temperatures, showing past volcanic activity and current global warming trends. The study's findings provide valuable insights into the impact of human activities on climate change.
Researchers use DNA analysis to determine that all 44 tusks came from forest elephants residing in West Africa, revealing the geographic origins and habitats of these endangered species. The study provides a framework for examining vast collections of historic ivory, offering insights into modern wildlife conservation.
Researchers found that the lower region of the Colorado River was once a vast marine tidal basin and humid paleoclimate. The discovery was made using data from ancient sedimentary deposits located east of the San Andreas fault.
A new study provides the first-of-its-kind model for how massive icebergs from Antarctica decay and affect ocean currents. The research found that these icebergs deliver freshwater to the Southern Ocean, influencing climate patterns.
A team of international scientists led by Karine Kleinhaus warns of a potential massive oil spill from an abandoned tanker in the Red Sea, which could devastate the region's unique coral reefs and marine ecosystems. The Safer, a floating storage unit with over 1 million barrels of oil, is at risk of leaking into the sea.
A new study suggests that warm ocean currents in the North Pacific during the last ice age created a relatively warm region around the modern Bering Sea, making it more habitable for early humans. This finding addresses a long-standing mystery about the earliest inhabitants of North America.
Researchers used satellite-tracked buoys to simulate ancient ocean migrations. They found that the vast majority failed to reach the Ryukyu Islands due to adverse weather conditions, suggesting intentional navigation. The study provides evidence of Paleolithic people's bold exploration and migration.
Researchers found that coral reef ecosystems can no longer retain deposits of calcium carbonate due to ocean warming and acidification, leading to accelerated erosion. By the end of the century, coastal protection will be lost, impacting infrastructure and communities.
A recent study suggests that Palaeolithic humans migrated to the Ryukyu Islands via deliberate boat voyages, contrary to previous uncertainty. The findings indicate that humans deliberately crossed one of the world's strongest currents to reach these islands approximately 35,000 years ago.
Research by KAUST reveals that sand temperatures at Red Sea nesting sites have exceeded the pivotal temperature threshold of 29.2 degrees Celsius, leading to feminization of hatchlings and potential mass mortality.
A team of researchers, led by Northern Arizona University and Lowell Observatory, will investigate the behavior of chemical elements in Titan's lakes and seas. They aim to understand how molecules interact and change under extreme conditions, which could inform NASA's Dragonfly mission and our understanding of early Earth.
A new study suggests that reducing aerosol pollution without also cutting carbon dioxide emissions could weaken the ocean's ability to keep the planet cool. This could lead to a shift in the region where most of the ocean is taking up heat, potentially destabilizing the climate.
Recent measurements reveal a surprise increase in dense water sinking near Antarctica, following 50 years of decline. Changes in bottom water formation can impact global climate and deep ocean ecosystems. The study documents an increase in supply of bottom water to the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Researchers develop a strain sensor that can detect small changes in muscle movement through clothing, demonstrating its high sensitivity. The sensor's resilience allows it to withstand repeated exposure to harsh conditions like being stabbed with a scalpel or run over by a car.
Researchers propose adding altitude-measuring instruments to existing NOAA buoys to track global sea levels and monitor accelerating sea-rise rates. This approach will provide valuable insights into the effects of climate change on coastal areas.
The discovery confirms that African crocodiles of the genus Crocodylus inhabited Europe during the late Miocene, with fossils found in Italy and Spain. The remains suggest a dispersal from Africa to Europe via sea, supported by modern crocodile behavior and anatomical similarities with other extinct species.