Oceanic, Coastal, and Estuarine Ocean Acidification Observing Networks: North Atlantic Ocean, East and Gulf Coast

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What We Do

In this project we are developing the North Atlantic Ocean, East and Gulf Coast ocean acidification (OA) observing system in response to the requirements of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring (FOARAM) Act. The observing system will be used to determine patterns and trends in key geochemical indicators of ocean acidification. The observing network of the East and Gulf Coast is based on the following elements:

Surface water measurements using autonomous systems on six ships of opportunity (SOOP-CO₂).
Dedicated Gulf of America and East Coast Carbon (GOMECC) cruises with surface and subsurface measurements on the NOAA ship Ronald H Brown. This will improve process level understanding of the controls on ocean acidification.
Moorings with autonomous instruments to determine the rapid temporal changes and causes thereof.
The continued development of the observing system with new instrumentation and protocols.

The scientific component includes analysis of total alkalinity (TA), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), partial pressure of CO₂ (pCO₂) and pH from samples taken on the cruises and mooring efforts. Data reduction, quality control and data management of the large data sets are a critical component of the observing system. Data products and algorithms to extrapolate the OA indices in time and space are being developed as part of the effort. These cruises provide a data set of physical and chemical coastal ocean parameters that is used both for improved spatial understanding of ocean acidification and to provide a general understanding of changing patterns over time by comparison with previous cruises. The monitoring component is an essential part of the Ocean Acidification Program (OAP), providing a long-term assessment of changes of biogeochemistry and ecology in response to increasing CO₂ atmospheric levels and large-scale changes in coastal dynamics.

Key Impacts

Understanding the significance of this research

Data and Cruise Logistics

Details, Data, and Pre- and Post-Cruise information

Who We Are

Rik Wanninkhof, Ph.D.

305.361.4379

| Rik Wanninkhof

Senior Technical Scientist

Denis Pierrot, Ph.D.

305.361.4453

| Denis Pierrot

Oceanographer

Leticia Barbero, Ph.D.

305.361.4453

| Leticia Barbero

Oceanographer

KEYIMPACTS

Background and Key Impacts

Ocean acidification occurs as greater amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from atmospheric emissions are absorbed by the oceans, lowering pH levels and making seawater more acidic. Although the ocean’s uptake of CO₂ helps to regulate atmospheric CO₂ levels, the lower pH negatively impacts a wide range of marine organisms, impairing their ability to thrive. This is causing a fundamental change in the chemistry of the ocean leading to increased acidity which impacts marine life and the people who depend on them. Dedicated SOOP-OA research cruises on the Gordon Gunter and Henry B. Bigelow along with the East Coast Ocean Acidification (ECOA) research cruises and the Gulf of America and East Coast Carbon (GOMECC) research cruises are used to obtain subsurface measurements and a comprehensive suite of biogeochemical observations. PMEL and academic partners maintain three moorings that are also an integral part of the effort.

Understanding Acidification in the Gulf of America

The long-term and comprehensive study of ocean acidification in the Gulf of America improves understanding of how coastal ecosystems respond to changes in the marine environment over time and predict how they will fare when exposed to increasing levels of acidification.

Creating Partnerships

AOML’s Ocean Acidification Program is an integrated and focused monitoring effort developing and maintaining strong partnerships with federal, state/territory, academic and other partners across the U.S. The program collaborates with partners such as NOAA Ocean Acidification Program, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, University of Miami Rosentstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, and Northern Gulf Institute.

Critical High Impact Data

AOML’s Ocean Acidification Program provides consistent, sustained, and long‐term measurements quantifying the increase of CO₂ in near surface coastal waters. The long-term and comprehensive study of ocean acidification in the Gulf of America and South Atlantic improves understanding of how coastal ecosystems respond to changes in the marine environment over time and predict how they will fare when exposed to increasing levels of acidification.

GOMECC5

Data & Logistics for Coastal Cruises

GOMECC - 5 (2025)

Gulf and Ocean Monitoring Ecosystems Coastal Cruises (GOMECC – 5) Cruise

Dates TBD

Chief Scientist,

Personnel Logistics,

Shipping And Cruise Logistics:

Pre – Cruise:

En Route:

GOMECC - 4 (2021)

Gulf and Ocean Monitoring Ecosystems and Carbon (GOMECC-4) 2021 Cruise

Depart September 12, 2021, Arrive October 21, 2021

Chief Scientist, Leticia Barbero: Leticia.Barbero@noaa.gov,

Co-Chief Scientist, Andrew Stefanick: Andrew.Stefanick@noaa.gov

Personnel logistics, Betty Huss: Betty.Huss@noaa.gov

Shipping and Cruise logistics, Esa Peltola, Esa.Peltola@noaa.gov

Pre-Cruise

NOAA COVID-19 Protocols

NOAA Data Sharing Requirements

Cruise Participants

Student Positions

NOAA Health Services Questionnaire Form

Emergency Contact Information Form

En route

NOAA Ocean Acidification Program

NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown Home Page

ECOA Cruises (2018)

East Coast Ocean Acidification Cruise (ECOA – 1, GU-15-04) 2015/2018 Cruise

Personnel Logistics contact Betty Huss: Betty.Huss@noaa.gov

Chief Scientists: Joe Salisbury and Wei-Jun Cai: joe.salisbury@unh.edu, wcai@udel.edu,

Personnel logistics, Betty Huss: Betty.Huss@noaa.gov

Shipping and Cruise logistics, Esa Peltola, Esa.Peltola@noaa.gov

Schedule:

Depart 6/17/2015         Wednesday          Newport, RI – Leg 1
Arrive 7/03/2015          Friday                  Norfolk, VA
Depart 7/08/2015         Wednesday          Norfolk, VA – Leg 2

Arrive 7/24/2015 Friday Miami, FL

Pre-Cruise

Cruise Participants
Foreign National Security Forms
NOAA Health Services Questionnaire Form
Emergency Contact Information Form

Post-Cruise

ECOA-1 Cruise Report (PDF)

NOAA Ocean Acidification Program

GOMECC - 3

Gulf and Ocean Monitoring Ecosystems and Carbon (GOMECC-3) 2017 Cruise

Depart July 18, 2017, Arrive August 21, 2017

Chief Scientist, Leticia Barbero: Leticia.Barbero@noaa.gov

Personnel logistics, Betty Huss: Betty.Huss@noaa.gov

Shipping and Cruise logistics, Esa Peltola, Esa.Peltola@noaa.gov

OUTREACH

The following links will send you to external sites (listing here does NOT imply U.S. Government endorsement).

Educational institutions which mentioned GOMECC-3 in their communications pages:

The communications departments of AOML and the National Park Service published notes on the cruise:

The official cruise blog, to which most of the cruise participants contributed, provided an insider’s view into the science conducted on the cruise and explained it for a non-scientific audience: GOMECC-3 BLOG

As a result of interactions with different communications offices from institutions participating in the GOMECC-3 cruise, several Spanish language newspapers and news outlets from Mexico and Spain reported on the GOMECC-3 project: