Ocean Circulation
Current Events off Antarctica
The scientific method can divert researchers down curious pathways. Human psychologists study mouse brains. Astrophysicists look for cosmic particles deep in mine shafts. Taxonomists trace bird evolution by studying feather…
Reaching Up Into Perilous, Icy Waters
A year had passed since we deployed our mooring in the western Arctic Ocean, which…
The Once and Future Circulation of the Ocean
The short history of modern oceanographic observations—less than a century’s worth, really—doesn’t give us a…
The Oceans Have Their Own Weather Systems
From June to September 2005, oceanographer Dennis McGillicuddy and a team of more than 20…
Under-ice Floats Offer a ‘Breakthrough’
The Arctic Ocean, home to fierce winds, punishing temperatures, and thick sea ice, is no…
A Sentry at the Atlantic Gateway
Here’s an easy recipe to change Earth’s climate: Just add more fresh water to the…
The Flywheel of the Arctic Climate Engine
A key component of the Arctic climate clockworks is the Beaufort Gyre?a bowl of cold,…
Flying Blind in the Ice Factory
Al Plueddemann wants to push the envelope and fly a robotic vehicle into the wild…
Is Global Warming Changing the Arctic?
In the Arctic, the air, sea ice, and underlying ocean all interact in a delicately…
Fresher Ocean, Cooler Climate
Large and climatically sensitive regions of the North Atlantic Ocean have become less salty since…
An Experiment to Dye For
WHOI scientists are exploring an experimental technique to track the complex movements of water in…
Where Currents Collide
In January 2005, a research cruise set out aboard R/V Oceanus for the tumultuous witnertime…
Fathoming the Ocean Without Ever Going to Sea
"The general circulation of the ocean is a massive and majestic phenomenon," says WHOI physical…
How the Isthmus of Panama Put Ice in the Arctic
The long lag time has always puzzled scientists: Why did Antarctica become covered by massive…
Launching the Argo Armada
The Argo program proposes to disperse 3,000 floats, like the one below, throughout the oceans…
Adventure in the Labrador Sea
The sound of the general alarm bell reverberated through the ship. At 2:30 AM, this…
A Century of North Atlantic Data Indicates Interdecadal Change
For hundreds of years mariners have recorded the weather over the world ocean. Some 100…
Labrador Sea Water Carries Northern Climate Signal South
Changes in wind strength, humidity, and temperature over the ocean affect rates of evaporation, precipitation,…
New Data on Deep Sea Turbulence Shed Light on Vertical Mixing
The global thermohaline circulation is basically a wholesale vertical overturning of the sea, driven by…
The El Niño/Southern Oscillation Phenomenon
The El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, an eastward shift of warm water in the tropical…