Physical Oceanography Division

Physical Oceanography

The Physical Oceanography Division is comprised of scientists, engineers, and technical support staff that aid NOAA’s mission by observing and studying ocean and climate dynamics, the physical drivers of ecosystem variability, and the impacts of natural and anthropogenic activities on marine resources. We study how ocean changes affect climate, marine ecosystems, and coastal and inland communities. We also share and build on the current state of knowledge by maintaining valuable, long-term datasets of changes over time.

Research Themes

Global Ocean Observing System

AOML works with partners around the world to develop and maintain key components of these systems of observing technologies, known collectively as the Global Ocean Observing System. The resulting observations have been shown to improve weather forecasts and advance our knowledge of climate fluctuations.

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Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

The overturning circulation is one of the primary ways that the oceans move heat, salt, carbon and nutrients throughout the global oceans. Changes in the AMOC over time have a pronounced impact on a variety of socially important weather and climate phenomena, on the blue economy, and on commerce. AOML scientists have shown that these changes predict precipitation changes around the world.

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Ocean Observations for the Blue Economy

AOML scientists use ocean observations to help protect species, provide insight to support ecosystem management decisions, and understand and predict how environmental conditions change.

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The Ocean and Extreme Weather

Scientists at AOML are working to extend the forecast for extreme weather events (such as heatwaves, tornadoes, and hurricanes).  Improved forecasts serve to provide emergency managers, government officials, businesses, and the public with better advanced warning to minimize catastrophic loss of life and damage to critical infrastructure.

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Featured Projects

GlobalDrifterProgram

Global Drifter Program

A yellow Argo float floating in the ocean.

Argo Program

Renellys Perez deploys an XBT into the ocean with a hand launcher. Header image 1600px

XBT Network

Glider1

Hurricane Gliders

ctd

Western Boundary Time Series

Pirata Buoy. Image credit: NOAA

PIRATA Northeast Extension

Image credit: NOAA

Southwest Meridional Overturning Circulation (SAM)

Ship_Ron_Brown

Tropical Atlantic Variability

More Research Projects

Two large orange saildrones in the calm ocean.

Saildrone

A close up of a white and orange PIES mooring being tested with an acoustic transducer on the side.

South Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (SAMOC)

Featured Projects

Two men outstretched over the side of the ship in orange life jackets and long sleeve orsnge tee shirts throw a human-sized yellow instrument with a block rod at the top filled with sensors into the whitewater and the ocean filling the picture

Argo

Moored Buoy. Photo Credit: NOAA.

PIRATA

GlobalDrifterProgram

Global Drifter Program

xbt

XBT Network

Half of a yellow underwater glider pops out of the ocean after deployment.

Hurricane Gliders

ctd

Western Boundary Time Series

More PHOD Research Projects

Tropical Atlantic Variability

South Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

Southwest Atlantic MOC

Saildrone

Featured Projects

Two men outstretched over the side of the ship in orange life jackets and long sleeve orsnge tee shirts throw a human-sized yellow instrument with a block rod at the top filled with sensors into the whitewater and the ocean filling the picture

Argo

Featured Publications

An open book and orange, pink, blue and green icons of science coming out of the book

McWhorter, J. K., Looney, L. B., Le Hénaff, M., Roman-Stork, H. L., Foltz, G. R., Gomez, F., … & Osborne, E. B. (2026). Subsurface biogeochemical response to Hurricane Idalia within a cyclonic eddy and river plume–stratified environment. Frontiers in Marine Science, 13, 1740354.

Gomez, F. A., Ross, A. C., Lee, S. K., Volkov, D., Kim, D., John, J. G., & Stock, C. A. (2026). Wind control of the interannual ocean‐biogeochemical variability in the South Atlantic Bight. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 131(2), e2025JC023322.

Foltz, G. R., Zhang, D., Looney, L. B., Chiodi, A. M., Zhang, J. A., Zhang, C., … & Cokelet, E. D. (2026). Hurricane air-sea drag saturation and sea-state dependence revealed by surface drones. Science Advances, 12(22), eaec7422.

Kim, D., Ross, A. C., Shin, S. I., Gomez, F. A., John, J. G., Volkov, D. L., … & Stock, C. A. (2026). Dynamically downscaled future projections of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean across low to high emissions scenarios. Ocean Science, 22(3), 1987-2009.

Looking for more scientific literature? Visit our Publication Database.

Recent News

THE Surface drifter a metlal ring with cables lifted and tossed into the blue ocean creates whitewater as it splahes at the surface tied to a blue and white noaa BUOY WITH THE noaa LOGO, the instrument to be deployed to the deep sea of the Indian Ocean I08S GO-SHIP CRUISE
July 7, 2026

Adopt a Drifter Program grows this summer

THE Surface drifter a metlal ring with cables lifted and tossed into the blue ocean creates whitewater as it splahes at the surface tied to a blue and white noaa BUOY WITH THE noaa LOGO, the instrument to be deployed to the deep sea of the Indian Ocean I08S GO-SHIP CRUISE

Adopt a Drifter Program grows this summer

More than 20 years after the first teacher adopted a drifter, NOAA’s Adopt a Drifter Program , co-led by the Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program (GOMO) and the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), continues to grow and evolve this summer. 

Saildrone-1045_high-res
June 11, 2026

New study directly quantifies air-sea momentum exchange in hurricane force winds for the first time

In recent years, uncrewed surface vehicles (USV) have become vital tools used to collect observations to improve hurricane forecasts. To fully understand how storms intensify, scientists need data at the air-sea interface where energy is transferred from the ocean to tropical cyclones. This data is most effectively collected by USVs because of their unique ability to operate in dangerous environments and extreme conditions. In a new study, scientists are able to directly quantify the air-sea momentum exchange (termed ‘wind stress’) and related frictional drag effect that acts to slow a hurricane’s rotating winds. These direct measurements of this process are the first to be collected over the ocean in hurricane-force winds.  

New study directly quantifies air-sea momentum exchange in hurricane force winds for the first time

In recent years, uncrewed surface vehicles (USV) have become vital tools used to collect observations to improve hurricane forecasts. To fully understand how storms intensify, scientists need data at the air-sea interface where energy is transferred from the ocean to tropical cyclones. This data is most effectively collected by USVs because of their unique ability to operate in dangerous environments and extreme conditions. In a new study, scientists are able to directly quantify the air-sea momentum exchange (termed ‘wind stress’) and related frictional drag effect that acts to slow a hurricane’s rotating winds. These direct measurements of this process are the first to be collected over the ocean in hurricane-force winds.  

Satellite image of Hurricane Erin in the Atlantic during the 2025 hurricane season.
June 2, 2026

How does El Niño Impact Atlantic Hurricane Season

Satellite image of Hurricane Erin in the Atlantic during the 2025 hurricane season.

How does El Niño Impact Atlantic Hurricane Season

NOAA has released their seasonal outlook for the 2026 hurricane season –  spanning from June 1st to November 30th – reporting a 55% probability of a below average season. This prediction is primarily driven by several factors including a strong El Niño event expected to emerge in the Pacific basin. This phenomenon will disrupt typical […]

Recent News

THE Surface drifter a metlal ring with cables lifted and tossed into the blue ocean creates whitewater as it splahes at the surface tied to a blue and white noaa BUOY WITH THE noaa LOGO, the instrument to be deployed to the deep sea of the Indian Ocean I08S GO-SHIP CRUISE
July 7, 2026

Adopt a Drifter Program grows this summer

In recent years, uncrewed surface vehicles (USV) have become vital tools used to collect observations to improve hurricane forecasts. To fully understand how storms intensify, scientists need data at the air-sea interface where energy is transferred from the ocean to tropical cyclones. This data is most effectively collected by USVs because of their unique ability to operate in dangerous environments and extreme conditions. In a new study, scientists are able to directly quantify the air-sea momentum exchange (termed ‘wind stress’) and related frictional drag effect that acts to slow a hurricane’s rotating winds. These direct measurements of this process are the first to be collected over the ocean in hurricane-force winds.  
June 11, 2026

New study directly quantifies air-sea momentum exchange in hurricane force winds for the first time

Satellite image of Hurricane Erin in the Atlantic during the 2025 hurricane season.
June 2, 2026

How does El Niño Impact Atlantic Hurricane Season

Recent News

THE Surface drifter a metlal ring with cables lifted and tossed into the blue ocean creates whitewater as it splahes at the surface tied to a blue and white noaa BUOY WITH THE noaa LOGO, the instrument to be deployed to the deep sea of the Indian Ocean I08S GO-SHIP CRUISE
July 7, 2026

Adopt a Drifter Program grows this summer

In recent years, uncrewed surface vehicles (USV) have become vital tools used to collect observations to improve hurricane forecasts. To fully understand how storms intensify, scientists need data at the air-sea interface where energy is transferred from the ocean to tropical cyclones. This data is most effectively collected by USVs because of their unique ability to operate in dangerous environments and extreme conditions. In a new study, scientists are able to directly quantify the air-sea momentum exchange (termed ‘wind stress’) and related frictional drag effect that acts to slow a hurricane’s rotating winds. These direct measurements of this process are the first to be collected over the ocean in hurricane-force winds.  
June 11, 2026

New study directly quantifies air-sea momentum exchange in hurricane force winds for the first time

Satellite image of Hurricane Erin in the Atlantic during the 2025 hurricane season.
June 2, 2026

How does El Niño Impact Atlantic Hurricane Season

products 

NOAA SciJinks Web Game

NOAA’s Adopt a Drifter Program’s (ADP) first summer intern designed and developed Ocean Odyssey: Tracking Marine Debris, a NOAA SciJinks web game suitable for K-12 audiences.

Ocean Odyssey incorporates historic drifter data and helps middle school audiences understand how ocean surface currents transport marine debris and how users can help keep our oceans clean. The new SciJinks game is the latest addition to the ADP’s growing list of resources for educators! Teachers can now introduce the topic of ocean surface currents and marine debris in an informative and fun manner.

Play the game!

products 

Physical Oceanography Products

NOAA Wave Ensemble Reforecast A unique 20-year global wave reforecast has been released.

As part of a funded climate project to extend marine hazard information to week two and beyond, with a focus on oceanic waves, the principal investigator, Dr. Ricardo Martins Campos, has concluded a 20-year wave reforecast using GEFSv12 wind forcings. The reforecast information, along with a more detailed description, is available at the web sites below.  We are happy to have generated a long wave reforecast dataset by joining the efforts of multiple centers, including OPC, EMC, CPC, and AOML/CIMAS.

https://registry.opendata.aws/noaa-wave-ensemble-reforecast/

https://noaa-nws-gefswaves-reforecast-pds.s3.amazonaws.com/index.html

The first publicly available 20-year wave reforecast dataset, which includes extensive validation and discussions on its performance, has been released! This reforecast provides valuable insights for improving wave forecasts, particularly in extreme weather events. It offers a reliable reference for both research and operational applications, enhancing the understanding and prediction of ocean wave conditions over time.

Publication: Development and Validation of NOAA’s 20-Year Global Wave Ensemble Reforecast

Sargassum Inundation Reports Assesses the risk of Sargassum coastal inundation in the Caribbean and Gulf regions

Since 2011, large accumulations of Sargassum is a recurrent problem in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of America, and tropical Atlantic Ocean. These events can cause significant economic, environmental and public health harm. AOML developed experimental Sargassum Inundation Reports (SIR) to provide an overview of the risk of Sargassum coastal inundation in the Caribbean and Gulf regions. SIR is the result of the collaboration between the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (NOAA/AOML), NOAA/CoastWatch/OceanWatch, and USF. To view the reports, click here.

For anyone who would like to contribute with a report of Sargassum sighting, please go to this page.

Ocean Observations Viewer Providing real-time ocean observations with in-situ sampling

In situ and satellite observations, and some derived products to assess ocean and atmosphere conditions prior, during, or after tropical cyclones. To visit the Ocean Observations viewer, click here.

Physical Oceanography Data

Data from buoys, satellites, and instruments on the sea floor can be accessed on our Data page or by clicking the links below.

Argo Data: Broad-scale global array of temperature and salinity profiling floats.

Satellite Data: Sea height anomaly, sea surface and water column temperature, and surface currents.

Global Drifter Data: Global surface currents, drifter-derived climatology, and seasonal current animations.

State of the Observing System Data: The State of the Ocean Observing System is our evaluation of how well essential ocean and climate variables are being measured.

XBT Data: Temperature, structure, and time-dependent ocean properties of the Atlantic Subtropical Gyre.

Florida Current Transport Time Series: Submerged cables provide voltage differential to measure daily transport

Contact

Renellys Perez

Deputy Director, Physical Oceanography Division

| Renellys Perez, Ph. D.

Deputy Director, Physical Oceanography Division

See the Divisional Directory