High-Resolution Mapping Reveals Carbon Sink Details
A new satellite-based product can now map the ocean carbon sink at unprecedented resolution.Although the oceanic sink for the human-induced carbon dioxide reduces global warming, there are significant biogeochemical consequences. This uptake leads to a reduction in seawater pH and alters the carbonate chemistry of the ocean. These changes in ocean chemistry, often collectively referred to as ocean acidification, impact marine organisms and alter marine ecosystems.Although scientists have made significant progress in understanding how the global ocean carbon sink changes over seasons and decades
Plutonium Levels in Sediments Remain Elevated 70 Years After Nuclear Tests
Researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Australia have confirmed plutonium levels in sediment up to 4,500 times greater than the Western Australian coastline.Three plutonium-based nuclear weapons tests were conducted at the Montebello Islands in the 1950's, which introduced radioactive contamination to the surrounding environment. The first nuclear test, coded Operation Hurricane, had a weapon's yield of some 25kT, and formed a crater in the seabed, while the second and third tests, dubbed Operation Mosaic G1 and G2, had weapons yields of around 15kT and 60kT, respectively.The three
Australian Antarctic Program Appoints Chief Scientist
The Australian Antarctic Program has appointed Professor Nerilie Abram from the Australian National University as its new Chief Scientist.Abram is a professor of climate science and was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2024.“I’m incredibly excited and honoured to be taking up the role of Chief Scientist of the AAD,” Abram said. “Antarctica is such a special place, and the science that the Australian Antarctic Program does is critical for protecting Antarctica, and for preparing Australia and the world for how changes in Antarctica will affect us all.
Greater CO2 Uptake Could Cause Ocean Deoxygenation
Methods to enhance the ocean’s uptake of carbon dioxide (CO₂) are being explored to help tackle the climate crisis. However, some of these approaches could significantly exacerbate ocean deoxygenation.Their potential impact on marine oxygen must therefore be systematically considered when assessing their suitability, according to an international team of researchers led by Prof. Dr Andreas Oschlies from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel.Global warming is the primary cause of the dramatic loss of oxygen in the ocean — approximately two percent of the ocean’s oxygen
An Unintentional Iron Fertilization Experiment
. Development of sensors to measure iron would represent a major leap forward.”In other phytoplankton and climate change news, a fleet of ocean robots has been deployed to explore the depths of the Labrador Sea as part of a year-long experiment led by scientists from the UK’s National Oceanography Centre. They are studying the ocean processes that help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in the deep sea
Trapped Wave Mystery Solved
Using a new type of satellite altimetry, a study led by Oxford University has finally confirmed the theory that the cause of extraordinary global tremors in September - October 2023 was indeed two mega tsunamis in Greenland that became trapped standing waves.In September 2023, a bizarre global seismic signal was observed which appeared every 90 seconds over nine days – and was then repeated a month afterwards. Almost a year later, two scientific studies proposed that the cause of these seismic anomalies were two mega tsunamis which were triggered in the remote Dickson fjord in East Greenland by
The Soundscape Code
Damselfish can make pops, clicks and chirps by grinding their teeth. When seeking a mate, some can make more high-pitched sounds.Another coral reef dweller, the snapping shrimp, makes a sound with its large claw to stun its prey or deter predators. A cavitation bubble is formed when the claw opens and closes rapidly, and the sound is produced when the bubble collapses.It’s sounds like these that can be used as a proxy measure for reef health. Generally, a noisy reef is a healthy reef, but to gain a more detailed understanding than this, it is important to consider where, when and how the sound
NOAA Predicts Cooler Deep Waters for Gulf of Maine
The Gulf of Maine, historically one of the fastest-warming ocean regions in the world, is predicted to experience cooler bottom water temperatures this spring and summer, according to a new experimental outlook developed by NOAA scientists.Initial signs of this shift were reported by NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center and documented in the NOAA Fisheries 2025 New England State of the Ecosystem Report.Data shows that since late 2023, the Northwest Atlantic has seen cooler bottom-water temperatures due to the southward movement of the eastern portion of the Gulf Stream and possibly an
Satellite data from Ship Captures Landslide-Generated Tsunami
Landslide-generated tsunamis pose a serious risk to coastal communities, particularly within narrow fjords where tall cliffs can trap and amplify waves. Scientists rely heavily on earthquake-based observation systems to issue tsunami warnings, but these methods don’t always capture localized ground movement caused by landslides.Now, for the first time, scientists have detected tsunami waves caused by a landslide using data from a ship’s satellite receiver. The CIRES and CU Boulder-led research, published in Geophysical Research Letters, shows the potential for the approach to improve
February 2025
