Coastal Science
Where the Rivers Meet the Sea
Estuaries are the borderlands between salt and freshwater environments, and they are incredibly diverse both biologically and physically. The diversity and the high energy of the ecosystem make estuaries remarkably resilient.
Up All Night- Atlantic hurricanes
BBC radio host Rhod Sharp and Jeff Donnelly of WHOI’s Coastal Research Lab trace the history of hurricanes in the Atlantic and discuss the frequency of intense storms. New sediment records indicate that historically unprecedented levels of intense hurricane activity impacted the eastern seaboard of the United States and northeastern Gulf Coast in the last two millennia.
(segment begins at 02:05:00)
Three things you may not know about sea level rise
Since the turn of the 20th century, seas have risen six to eight inches globally. New technologies, along with a better understanding of how the oceans, ice sheets, and other components of climate interact, have helped scientists identify the factors that contribute to sea level rise.
Read MoreOpening their eyes to science: EarthWatch program gives girls a chance to delve into scientific world
This year, the fourth for the program, EarthWatch kept the program local, teaming up with Sea Grant at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to provide girls in Massachusetts with experiences in all types of sciences, Woodroof said. Only girls from Massachusetts were selected, which included a couple from the Cape and a couple with seasonal ties to the Island.
Conducting airlift and dive operations
May 2019 — Captain Peter Collins explains a day of support operations conducted aboard the R/V Tioga at the Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory (MVCO). Helicopter operations included the airlift installation of a new dive board platform and switchgear for the MVCO tower. Dive operations included node junction surveying and a scientific instrument recovery at the Tower.
Learn more about the MVCO here:
https://www.whoi.edu/mvco
What do ocean airlift operations look like?
Watch how scientific instruments get airlifted and installed at the Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory. The installation includes a new dive board platform and electrical switchgear.
Learn more about the MVCO here:
https://www.whoi.edu/mvco
Doctoral Dissertation Defense of Thesis: Dynamics and Kinematics of an Estuarine Network
W. Bryce Corlett, MIT-WHOI Joint Program Sponsored by: Academic Programs Office
Read MoreStudy Finds No Direct Link Between North Atlantic Ocean Currents, Sea Level Along New England Coast
A new study by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) clarifies what influence major currents in the North Atlantic have on sea level along the northeastern United States. The study, published June 13 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, examined both the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)—a conveyor belt of currents that move warmer waters north and cooler waters south in the Atlantic—and historical records of sea level in coastal New England.
Read MoreOrganic Carbon Hides in Sediments, Keeping Oxygen in Atmosphere
A new study from researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Harvard University may help settle a long-standing…
Read MoreDoctoral Dissertation Defense of Thesis: Storm Signatures in Coastal Ponds and Marshes Over the Late Holocene
Katherine A. Castagno, WHOI Sponsored by: Academic Programs Office
Read MoreThe Cycling of Metals in the Ganga (Hooghly) River Estuary: Regional and Global Perspectives
Tarun Kumar Dalia, Indian Institute of Science Education & Research, Kolkata Sponsored by: MC&G Department
Read MoreNOAA Names Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to Host Cooperative Institute
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) selected Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to host NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for the…
Read MoreBBC: Why did an entire civilization vanish?
Untangling Impacts on Right Whales
Whale scientists look for new ways to mitigate whale entanglements in fishing lines
Read MoreRivers, Estuaries, & Deltas
Coastal Ecosystems
The narrow region where land and ocean meet is among the most dynamic and complex collection of physical and biological…
Read MoreGroundwater
Groundwater is water that exists underground in the spaces between grains of sand or gravel or in the cracks and…
Read MoreChanging Shorelines & Erosion
Spend just a few minutes on almost any beach, and the ocean will soon demonstrate a few of the many…
Read MoreCoastal Science
Although the oceans cover most of Earth, the the tiny sliver of the coastal ocean greatly influences, and is most influenced by, human activity.
Read MoreInterested in Helping us Study Rivers?
What you need to do We are looking for samples from most large rivers close to the ocean. If you…
Read MoreA Rising Tide Along the Coast
Never before has coastal research been more relevant and more important to society’s well being. The numbers are staggering: More…
Read MoreGliders Reveal Tango Between Hurricanes and the Gulf Stream
Spray gliders cruising from Miami to Woods Hole are collecting ocean measurement data that hurricane forecast modelers can use to improve storm intensity forecasts.
Read MoreWhy Is Sea Level Rising Faster in Some Places Along the U.S. East Coast Than Others?
Sea levels are rising globally from ocean warming and melting of land ice, but the seas aren’t rising at the same rate everywhere. Sea levels have risen significantly higher in some U.S. East Coast regions compared to others. A new study led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) reveals why.
Read MoreClimate Change Likely Caused Migration, Demise of Ancient Indus Valley Civilization
More than 4,000 years ago, the Harappa culture thrived in the Indus River Valley of what is now modern Pakistan and northwestern India, where they built sophisticated cities, invented sewage systems that predated ancient Rome’s, and engaged in long-distance trade with settlements in Mesopotamia. Yet by 1800 BCE, this advanced culture had abandoned their cities, moving instead to smaller villages in the Himalayan foothills. A new study from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) found evidence that climate change likely drove the Harappans to resettle far away from the floodplains of the Indus.
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