Oceanography

Oceans Can't Mix Without Help From Fish

Scientists have been thinking increasingly about whether or not animals in the ocean might play a role in larger-scale ocean mixing, says John Dabiri, a Caltech bioengineer. Ocean mixing is the process by which various layers of water interact with one an ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 29 2009 - 6:29pm

Winds, Weaker Current Implicated In Higher Eastern Seaboard Water Levels

The Eastern Seaboard had higher than normal sea levels in June and July and a new NOAA technical report blames persistent winds and a weakened current in the Mid-Atlantic.  After observing water levels six inches to two feet higher than originally predicte ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 2 2009 - 12:07pm

Climate change, 18th century style

Scientists hope weather data from 18th century ships' logbooks will shed light on how the climate has changed in the past 200 years, according to this BBC report. ...

Blog Post - Becky Jungbauer - Oct 7 2009 - 8:43am

Scope Of Coral Reefs In Flower Gardens

Beauty can't hide! Flower gardens exist in our vast oceans. Fishermen have long noted colored fish and coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. The flower gardens banks consist of coral-capped banks or sandstone banks with fire coral and sponge-laden pinna ...

Article - Hatice Cullingford - Oct 28 2009 - 12:58pm

Superfreaking Chemistry?

I need to call my broker and get in on some Arm&Hammer stock, because, according to Steve Levitt, we're going to need a lot of base: Of course, ocean acidification is an import issue. Now, there are ways to deal with ocean acidification, right, it ...

Blog Post - Michael White - Oct 29 2009 - 2:54pm

Boat Nets Large Jellyfish, Sinks Itself

This post is not even remotely about a cephalopod, but because I mentioned polyps yesterday I feel justified in discussing a cnidarian. Besides, these headlines really got me steamed, and what better place to vent than a blog? Enormous Jellyfish Sink Japan ...

Article - Danna Staaf - Nov 10 2009 - 10:08am

How Big A Wave Does It Take To Demolish A Coastal Building?

With Tropical Storm Ida currently dumping rain and high winds in the southeast we wanted to talk about coastal hazards.   Coastal hazards along America's shorelines threaten a significant percentage of the U.S. population.    Here is a quick beach qui ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 10 2009 - 10:03am

Scientists Record Deepest Erupting Volcano Yet Discovered

Scientists have recorded the deepest erupting volcano yet discovered--West Mata Volcano--located 4,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, in an area bounded by Fiji,Tonga and Samoa. The imagery includes large molten lava bubbles three feet acros ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 8 2010 - 6:59pm

Echinoderms' Contribution To Ocean Carbon Sink Underestimated

A group of marine organisms called Echinoderms, which includes starfish and sea urchin, has a significant impact on the levels of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere and that influence has been greatly underestimated by scientists, argues a new p ...

Article - News Staff - Jan 8 2010 - 12:14pm

Carbonate Veins Offer Look At Chemistry Of Ancient Oceans

Researchers have developed a novel method for reconstructing past ocean chemistry using calcium carbonate veins that precipitate from seawater-derived fluids in rocks beneath the seafloor. The new method will help scientists analyze past changes in climate ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 8 2010 - 7:01pm