OCEANS
Types of Research
- Chemical tracers of ocean circulation
- Sea floor observations
- Coastal ocean observations
- Ocean forecasting
- Innovative observations in the Arctic and north Pacific
- Ocean acidification
- Tsunami observation, modeling, and forecasting
Affiliated Programs
- Earth-Ocean Interactions Program
- NOAA Center for Tsunami Research
- Global Tropical Moored Buoy Array
- Ocean Climate Stations
- J-SCOPE
Research Highlights – 2023
Task II-OCS/CPO/OCS-Saildrone
The Ocean Climate Stations (OCS) and Climate Prediction and Observation provide long-term observations of Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) and Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) using both moored buoys and remotely piloted Uncrewed Systems (UxS). Measurements are provided to the public in near real-time, allowing national prediction centers to improve weather, climate, and ocean prediction, and allowing researchers to study exchanges of heat, moisture, momentum, and carbon dioxide between the sea and air. Interactions between the ocean and atmosphere affect weather, local and global climate patterns, as well as ecosystems and the environment, and are the primary focus of this project.
Principal Investigator: Dongxiao Zhang
Research Theme: Ocean and Coastal Observations
Task II-GTMBA
The Global Tropical Moored Buoy Array (GTMBA) is the foundation of observing systems in each of the three tropical oceans. CICOES GTMBA research on tropical atmosphere-ocean interaction seeks to improve understanding and prediction of phenomena such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the seasonal monsoons, the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), and tropical Atlantic climate variability. These are the dominant modes of ocean-atmosphere variability that have profound global impacts on weather and climate, as well as marine ecosystem through ocean and atmospheric teleconnections.
Principal Investigator: Dongxiao Zhang
Research Theme: Ocean and Coastal Observations
Task II-Tsunamis
During the year of 2022-2023, UW/CICOES tsunami group has continued to thrive in tsunami research activities and warning services towards fulfilling NOAA’s goals in weather-ready nation and resilient coastal communities and economies. The tsunami group’s main mission is to continue to provide scientific and operational support for the tsunami forecast system SIFT for use at the NOAA’s Tsunami Warning Centers (TWCs). A major accomplishment is the new, ready-to-be-released SIFT v5.1 for its operational use, including the deployment of an early-detecting tool utilizing the GNSS global network, at the TWCs. Working with state and federal agencies and private sectors, CICOES/NCTR have continued to contribute to the tsunami hazard assessment studies for local, national, and international coastal communities. These accomplishments are summarized in the following “ACCOMPLISHMENTS” section.
Principal Investigator: Yong Wei
Research Theme: Earth Systems and Processes
Using next-generation sequencing techniques to assess adaptive capacity and illuminate mechanisms underlying the effects of high pCO2 on Alaskan crab and fish species
Many economically important crab and fish species may be negatively affected by exposure to pH levels and temperatures predicted under climate change. The effects of OA include decreased growth, altered embryonic development, reduced exoskeleton strength, increased metabolic rate, altered immune system, altered behavior, and increased mortality. We are using next-generation sequencing to identify the specific alterations in the molecular, metabolic, and physiological pathways of individuals exposed to OA. Estimating the degree to which acclimation and adaptation will alter the experimental effects of OA and combined effects with other stressors is critical to predicting how these stressors will affect future fisheries.
Principal Investigator: Steven Roberts
Research Theme: Climate and Ocean Variability
Coordination and Data Management of the U.S. Interagency Program for Antarctic Buoys (US-IPAB) and U.S. Interagency Arctic Buoy Program (US-IABP)
Our ability to predict weather and sea ice conditions requires in situ observations of ice/ocean circulation, surface meteorology, and oceanography. These observations are used to forecast weather, and assimilated into the many long-term atmospheric reanalyses such as the NCEP Reanalysis that are used for innumerable climate studies. In situ observations of ice motion are also important for estimating the drift, age, thickness and dynamics of various areas and types of sea ice. Over the Arctic Ocean, this fundamental observing network is maintained by the IABP.
Principal Investigator: Ignatius Rigor
Research Theme: Polar Studies
Task II-EOI Plumes
The EOI Plumes group examines the impact of the solid Earth on the chemistry of the oceans. Of primary interest is the role that these interactions play in adding trace nutrients to the surface ocean where they regulate primary productivity in important highly productive parts of the global Ocean. In addition to examining inputs from coastal margins, sea ice, and aerosol dust, a significant effort by EOI Plumes focuses on understanding how and if iron and other nutrients released from submarine volcanoes and methane seeps reaches shallow ocean where they impact ocean productivity.
Principal Investigator: Joseph Resing
Research Theme: Environmental Chemistry and Ocean Carbon
Ocean Acidification Observations in Alaska
Over the last two-and-a-half centuries the surface oceans have absorbed >25% of the total anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions released into the atmosphere from fossil fuel burning and land-use changes. This gradual absorption of CO2 has increased ocean acidity in a process commonly referred to as ocean acidification (OA). These changes are expected to substantially affect the biogeochemistry, biodiversity, and ecology of oceans. Coastal regions around Alaska are experiencing some of the most rapid onset of OA events in the United States. This project will measure the intensity, duration, and extent of ocean acidification events in Alaska’s coastal waters.
Principal Investigator: Natalie Monacci (UAF)
Research Theme: Environmental Chemistry and Ocean Carbon
Sustained Observations of Ocean Acidification in Alaska Coastal Seas
Over the last two-and-a-half centuries the surface oceans have absorbed >25% of the total anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions released into the atmosphere from fossil fuel burning and land-use changes. This gradual absorption of CO2 has increased ocean acidity in a process commonly referred to as ocean acidification (OA). These changes are expected to substantially affect the biogeochemistry, biodiversity, and ecology of oceans. Coastal regions around Alaska are experiencing some of the most rapid onset of OA events in the United States. This project will measure the intensity, duration, and extent of ocean acidification events in Alaska’s coastal waters.
Principal Investigator: Natalie Monacci (UAF)
Research Theme: Environmental Chemistry and Ocean Carbon
Transition the Oculus glider into operations for NOAA ecosystem research (Task II-GLIDER UXS)
The TASK II Glider UxS project is a focused effort of the EcoFOCI program to transition the Oculus glider into operations for NOAA ecosystem research in support of a climate-ready nation and the Blue Economy. The Oculus glider is a novel technology developed through the Innovative Technology for Arctic Exploration (ITAE) program to approach ecosystem research in the shallow depths of the US Arctic and beyond, a region extremely hard to survey with current observing capabilities. NOAA will initiate routine operation of the glider following this transition project. These data will be used to potentially support predictive models, document natural variability and provide foundational research to support fisheries resource management decisions in Alaska.
Principal Investigator: Calvin Mordy
Research Theme: Ocean and Coastal Observations
Understanding CO2 effects on Dungeness crab: Population variability, temperature interactions, calcification process and carbonate parameter sensitivity
Dungeness crab support the most valuable fishery on the US West Coast. Previous experiments have shown that young Dungeness crab zoea reared under high CO2 conditions have lower survival and slower development rates than those reared under ambient CO2 levels. The primary goal of this research is to understand whether changes in exoskeleton growth and calcification process affect survival across different CO2 levels. Understanding the impact of CO2 on calcification will allow better projections of how Dungeness crab will fare in an acidifying ocean and provide critical data for projections of impacts on related species. The research will also explicitly evaluate potential of Dungeness crab to act as a biological indicator of ocean acidification.
Principal Investigator: Alex Gagnon
Research Theme: Climate and Ocean Variability
Task II-Marine Carbon
Collect, quality control, and analyze measurements of the carbonate system in seawater to quantify the impacts of natural processes and their variability and to assess the magnitude, variability, and impacts of ongoing anthropogenic carbon uptake.
Principal Investigator: Brendan Carter
Research Theme: Ocean and Coastal Observations
Task II-Argo PMEL
CICOES is supporting NOAA’s contributions to the planned global biogeochemical Argo array. This is an array of profiling floats equipped with novel biogeochemical sensors. The new array, once completed, is expected to revolutionize the study of variability and change in key aspects of ocean health such as ocean pH and oxygen and nutrient concentrations. NOAA will maintain and conduct data management and quality control for a portion of this global array. This grant provides staff and academic support for these efforts and for efforts that focus on interpretation of the new data.
Principal Investigator: Brendan Carter
Research Theme: Climate and Ocean Variability
Earth-Ocean Interactions, Task II-Vent Fluids
The Earth-Ocean Interactions/Task II Vent Fluids project conducts research to understand how physical and chemical interaction between the ocean and the solid earth affects global chemical cycles, chemosynthetic ecosystems on the seafloor, mineral formation, and climate. In 2022-23 we analyzed hydrothermal vent and methane cold seep samples and organized and executed a major research expedition on the vessel Falkor (too) (March 3-April 11, 2023). Using ship-based sonar, water column surveys, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, and a Remotely Operated Vehicle, the 40-day exploration/research cruise discovered and characterized three new high-temperature hydrothermal fields on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between 20° and 25°N, adding critical data relevant to regulation of deep sea mining.
Principal Investigator: David Butterfield
Research Theme: Earth Systems and Processes