Physical Oceanography
Strengthening connections in observing the North Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation: Outcomes from a Joint RAPID-OSNAP Workshop
The joint RAPID-OSNAP workshop in Woods Hole focused on enhancing operational logistics and data handling for the North Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, fostering collaboration among 45 oceanographers to improve observational techniques and knowledge sharing.
Read MoreResearchers help solve mystery of clockwork-like earthquake system deep beneath the Pacific
Study of Gofar transform fault on the Pacific seafloor points to mitigating effects of “barrier zones” that keep ruptures from spreading.
Read MoreAutonomous underwater robot discovers hidden coral reef “hotspots”
New underwater robot opens new possibilities in coral reef conservation by autonomously identifying biodiversity “hotspots”
Read MoreSmall seabirds rely on crosswinds to navigate the open ocean
New tracking research reveals Mediterranean storm petrels trade speed for information as they fly hundreds of kilometers across the sea
Read MorePostdoctoral Fellow Katy Abbott
Postdoctoral Fellow Katy Abbott joins WHOI’s PO Department.
Read MoreRevealing wave-wave resonant interactions in ocean wind waves
Maestrini, D., Dematteis, G., Benetazzo, A., & Onorato, M. (2026). Revealing wave-wave resonant interactions in ocean wind waves. Communications Physics, 9(1), 193. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-026-02653-0 Nonlinear resonant interactions have long been theorized as the mechanism…
Read MoreCongratulations Dr. Katy Abbott!
On May 4, Dr. Katy Abbott celebrated her successful thesis defense—Vertical Transport and Transformation of Biogeochemical Properties in the Upper Ocean—with her advisor, Amala Mahadevan, along with fellow MIT/WHOI joint…
Read MoreTracking Black-browed albatrosses in the South Atlantic
by Francesco Ventura As part of NASA grant 80NSSC25K7836, PO’s Francesco Ventura led a field campaign to the Falkland Islands to track Black-browed albatrosses (Thalassarche melanophris) nesting on Steeple Jason.…
Read MoreCongratulations Dr. Phadtaya Poemnamthip!
Dr. Phadtaya Poemnamthip celebrates a successful thesis defense along with fellow MIT/WHOI joint program students, chair of the defense, members of the thesis committee, friends and family. Dr. Poemnamthip’s doctoral…
Read MoreIt’s the most ocean-friendly map ever created. Why haven’t more people seen it?
Discover the Spilhaus Projection, a radical world map that reveals Earth as one connected ocean—and reshapes how we see the planet.
Read MoreSvenja Ryan and Caroline Ummenhofer Join Artist Deb Ehrens for “Ocean Fever” Talk at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod
Svenja Ryan and Caroline Ummenhofer at a joint public talk with artist Deb Ehrens at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod on April 11, 2026, for programming for their exhibit “Ocean Fever” that…
Read MoreCongratulations Dr. Weiguang (Roger) Wu!
On April 9, Dr. Weiguang (Roger) Wu celebrated his successful thesis defense—Vertical Transport at Curved Ocean Fronts—with his advisor, Amala Mahadevan, along with fellow MIT/WHOI joint program students, friends, and…
Read MorePO Researchers On Board the R/V Solander for MINTIE Cruise
Adam Houk, Andy Davies, and Dan Torres aboard the R/V Solander…
Read MoreMangrove sediments reveal drivers of Late Holocene sea-level change in the equatorial Pacific Ocean
Sefton, J. P., Kemp, A. C., Engelhart, S. E., Brain, M. J., Ellison, J. C., Creel, R., Piecuch, C. G., Kopp, R. E., Charley, B., & Lihpai, S. (2026). Mangrove sediments reveal…
Read MorePersistent topographic trapping of the Middle Atlantic Bight shelfbreak front
Taenzer, L., Gawarkiewicz, G., & Plueddemann, A. (2026). Persistent Topographic Trapping of the Middle Atlantic Bight Shelfbreak Front. Journal of Physical Oceanography. https://doi.org/10.1175/jpo-d-25-0075.1 Seasonal position and strength of the MAB shelfbreak front. (a) The shelfbreak frontal…
Read MoreCombining paleocurrents and sea level in a least-cost pathway model of human dispersal from Sunda to Sahul, 65-45,000 years ago
Borreggine, M., Powell, E. M., Fu, M., Yang, X., Weeks, E., Zhang, B., Wilkinson, K., Mitrovica, J. X., Tryon, C., & Meadow, R. (2026). Combining paleocurrents and sea level in a…
Read MoreDirect observations of strong jets transporting deep and bottom water into the Indian Ocean through the fracture zones of the Southwest Indian Ridge
Menezes, V., Furey, H., Torres, D., Bahr, F., & Baker, L. (2026). Direct Observations of Strong Jets Transporting Deep and Bottom Water Into the Indian Ocean Through the Fracture Zones…
Read MoreNorth American ice sheet persistence into past interglacials should inform future projections
Creel, R. C., Kopp, R. E., Dutton, A., Zhou, Y., Raymo, M. E., Britt, C. J., & DeConto, R. M. (2026). North American ice sheet persistence into past interglacials should…
Read MoreMIT/WHOI Joint Program Students Attend the 2026 Ocean Sciences Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland
by Anthony Meza and Hiroki Nagao Graduate students and alumni from WHOI’s Physical Oceanography Department recently joined more than 5,000 attendees at the 2026 Ocean Sciences Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, for a…
Read MoreTracking the hidden currents of Cape Cod Bay
Scientists are using drifters and ocean models to better understand how water, nutrients, and pollutants move through the bay
Read MoreSummer School in Sea Level Science
WHOI/NASA Summer School in Sea Level Science 17-30 May 2026 • Woods Hole, Massachusetts WHEN 17-30 May 2026 WHERE Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts APPLICATIONS 20 March 2026 DEADLINE…
Read MoreCongratulations Dr. Theo Carr!
On January 6, Dr. Theo Carr celebrated his successful thesis defense—Implications of seasonality and asymmetry for ENSO’s predictability, impacts, and future changes—with his advisor, Caroline Ummenhofer, along with fellow MIT/WHOI…
Read MoreRemote and regional drivers of the Indonesian Throughflow under future warming: Implications for Inter-Basin Freshwater Transport
Wang, S., Waitzmann, D., Ummenhofer, C. C., & Oppo, D. W. (2026). Remote and Regional Drivers of the Indonesian Throughflow Under Future Warming: Implications for Inter-Basin Freshwater Transport. Geophysical Research Letters, 53(1),…
Read MoreA multi-agency experiment on internal wave energy, mixing, and interactions and their representation in global ocean models and operational forecasts
Buijsman, M., Waterhouse, A., Zaron, E., Yadidya, B., Xu, C., Whitley, V., Wenegrat, J., Wang, J., Wallcraft, A., Varma, D., Tchonang, B., Siyanbola, O., Shriver, J., Sheremet, V., Send, U.,…
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