Oceanography
North Icelandic Jet
Map centered on the Iceland Sea Gyre, where turbulent waters cool and feed the North Icelandic Jet, returning cold water south via the Deep Western Boundary Current.
Read MoreThe ocean’s Biological Carbon Pump
Tiny ocean plants absorb CO? via photosynthesis, then sink or get eaten, moving carbon from surface waters to deep ocean—key to Earth’s carbon cycle.
Read MoreMicrobial life is discovered in vents
Scientists found 100-million-year-old microbial life in seafloor rocks near Portugal, thriving deep underground where hydrothermal fluids mixed with seawater.
Read MoreDifferent stages of photosynthesis
Phytoplankton photosynthesize in chloroplasts, using sunlight and CO? to make sugars and oxygen. Xanthophylls protect chlorophyll by adjusting light energy and burning excess as heat.
Read MoreHow a biofilm forms in the sea
Bacteria settle on surfaces, secrete slime, and grow into colonies. Some detach or are eaten by zooplankton. Large organisms can attach if the biofilm becomes thick enough.
Read MoreHow a Deep Hypersaline Anoxic Basin (DHAB) forms
Deep hypersaline anoxic basins form when salt dissolves into seafloor water, creating dense, oxygen-free water trapped below normal seawater in ocean valleys.
Read MoreThe existence of ancient vent microbes
Microbes deep below the seafloor survive on chemicals from seawater-rock reactions. Ancient mantle rocks reveal preserved traces of their life.
Read MoreIllustration explaining the life cycle of eels
Research led by WHOI scientists suggests that tiny eel larvae can actually swim and navigate, allowing them to contend with ocean currents and reach the coast.
Read MoreThe Indian Ocean Dipole
3D maps showing seasonal shifts in atmospheric and ocean conditions in the Indian Ocean that drive the monsoon system.
Read MoreGalápagos Islands unique ecosystem involving trade winds and EUC
Trade winds push surface water west, while an eastward undercurrent hits the Galápagos, lifting deep, nutrient-rich water that fuels its unique ecosystem.
Read MoreRadium rising signals arctic change
Arctic map showing vessel track and coastal transport sources for increased Radium levels measured offshore indicating changing climate conditions.
Read MoreHow a DMON buoy operates to detect and transmit right whale location info
DMON buoys detect whale calls and transmit information about them from the cable to the buoy, which relays the information to a satellite and ultimately to scientists in near-real time.
Read MoreHow a hydrothermal vent system works
Hydrothermal vents form in places where there is volcanic activity, such as along the Mid-Ocean Ridge.
Read MoreHow a Thermal Glider operates autonomously in the ocean
This robotic vehicle can propel itself for several months across thousands of miles, using only heat energy from the ocean.
Read MoreHow biological compounds from phytoplankton blooms enter the atmosphere
Biological compounds from phytoplankton blooms could end up trapped in centuries-old ice cores that scientists can use to measure ocean productivity over time.
Read MoreHow Cyanobacteria Crocosphaera watsonii recycles iron
Iron is scarce in the ocean, but a key marine bacterium may have evolved a remarkable biochemical way to recycle it and reduce its iron requirements by half.
Read MoreHow the Fraser River picks up chemical signatures along its journey
Samples from the Fraser River help scientists track a geochemical journey that starts in the atmosphere, moves through rocks and plants, and sinks to the seafloor.
Read MoreHow the Pacific influences rainfall in Asia
Maps comparing the connection between the Pacific and Indian Ocean regions in the equatorial region, during El Nino/La Nina conditions.
Read MoreHydrophone on mooring listening to Bowhead whale
Scientists track bowhead whales in icy regions by recording their changing songs, studying how whales adopt new tunes to communicate and attract mates.
Read MoreIcy wind blows from the Antarctic Continent
New research suggests that fresh melt water from icebergs creates a fresher version of bottom water, with potentially significant consequences for the ocean and climate.
Read MoreAir-sea exchange mechanisms
Climate change shifts Earth’s water cycle, increasing rain in wet areas and drought in dry ones. Scientists study how water moves between ocean and air.
Read MoreGulf of Maine ocean circulation
Detailed map showing general circulation and bathymetry in the Gulf of Maine during stratification season.
Read MoreDeep Water Horizon oil spill dispersant theory scenarios
Oil droplets from deep wells can be broken into small, neutrally buoyant droplets by dispersants, helping microbes degrade them before they reach the surface.
Read MoreTaking a deeper look at Deep-Sea
Deep-See carries camera systems, sonars, and sensors for measuring currents and seawater properties in the ocean twilight zone, as well as a sampling device.
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