The waters bordering North America could soon be inhospitable to critical marine creatures if the Northeastern Pacific Ocean continues to acidify at the current rate, a new study shows. Earth’s oceans have become approximately 30% more acidic since the industrial revolution began more than 200 years ago. Acidification changes marine chemistry and depletes key minerals that calcifying organisms, such […]
New research improves ocean weather forecasts, enhancing public safety and economic growth U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researchers published a new paper that explains how atmospheric wind affects eddies, an ocean weather phenomena of spinning ocean currents. “Our theory and findings provide a roadmap for incorporating interactions between winds and ocean eddies into operational and long-term forecasting,” said […]
Tiny ocean wave vibrations from the Gulf of Alaska — too subtle for humans to notice — can travel through land as far north as Alaska’s Arctic coastline. These and other low-frequency vibrations generated daily by ocean waves offer insights into climate change. Research by doctoral student Sebin John at the University of Alaska Fairbanks […]
With over 30,000 km of shoreline, Alaska is home to some of the world’s richest fisheries. In Southeast Alaska, like much of the state, coastal communities depend on commercial and subsistence fisheries for their livelihood. With such a vast and varied environment, obtaining long-term oceanographic data is challenging, limiting understanding of patterns and the ability […]