Tag: Global Ocean Observing System

Partial CLIVAR sections demonstrating the spread of NADW eastward into the central South Atlantic Ocean. Vertical axis is depth in meters. Panel a) partial A16S section of CFC-11 from 15 ° -30 ° S along about 25 ° W from 1000-5000 m. The lowest contour for CFC-11 concentration is 0.01 pmol kg -1 . Color scale given on the right; two neutral density surfaces are 27.9 and 28.1 kg m -3 are identified as white lines . Panel b) Same as panel a) except for oxygen concentration in m mol kg -1 . Panel c) Same as panel a) except for salinity. Panel d) partial A13 section of CFC-11 from 15 ° -30 ° S along about 5 ° -10 ° E from 1000-5000 m. The lowest contour for CFC-11 concentration is 0.005 pmol/kg. Panel e) full cross-basin section of CFC-11 along A10, 30 ° S from 1000-5000 m. Note for a, d, and e that 0.3 pmol kg -1 is the highest concentration CFC-11 contoured and higher concentrations will appear in the same shades as for 0.3 pmol kg -1.

The fate of the Deep Western Boundary Current in the South Atlantic

The pathways of recently ventilated North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) are part of the lower limb of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). In the South Atlantic these pathways have been the subject of discussion for years, mostly due to the lack of observations. Knowledge of the pathways of the AMOC in the South Atlantic is a first order prerequisite for understanding the fluxes of climatically important properties.

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The glider rests on the deck of the R/V La Sultana before deployment. Image credit: NOAA

Underwater Gliders Begin Third Mission

On July 14th, 2015, AOML physical oceanographers deployed one of two sea gliders in the Caribbean from the University of Puerto Rico’s R/V La Sultana. The third deployment will continue the project’s mission to gather important data in the Caribbean and Tropical North Atlantic Ocean to help with hurricane intensity forecasting and provide valuable information about the role the ocean plays in tropical cyclone development. What’s new for this mission? For the first time, the gliders will collect ocean current velocity profiles in addition to the real-time temperature, salinity, and oxygen data. AOML scientists also equipped the glider with an improved battery which will allow the glider to record more profile measurements. The second of the two gliders will be deployed in the Tropical North Atlantic in the upcoming weeks.

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Messages written by local schoolchildren are bottled up and ready for deployment. Image credit: NOAA

July Hydrographic Survey Conducted in the Florida Straits

AOML physical oceanographers and interns conducted a hydrographic survey along the 27th north parallel in the Florida Straits aboard the R/V F.G. Walton Smith on July 14-15 as a component of the Western Boundary Time Series project. These 2-day cruises are designed to calibrate daily estimates and quantify Florida Current volume transport and water mass changes.

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Sailors from Team Alvimedica deploy a drifter in the Southern Ocean. Image credit: Amory Ross/Volvo Ocean Race

Drifter Program Catches a Lift to the Southern Ocean with the Volvo Ocean Race

If you’ve ever sailed aboard a ship in the coastal ocean, or checked a weather report before going to the beach, then you are one of many millions of people who benefit from ocean observations. NOAA collects ocean observations and weather data to provide mariners with accurate forecasts of seas, as well as coastal forecasts and even regional climate predictions. It takes a lot of effort to maintain observations in all of the ocean basins to support these forecasts, and NOAA certainly can’t do it alone. Partnerships are essential to maintaining a network of free-floating buoys, known as drifters, and NOAA’s latest partner is not your typical research or ocean transportation vessel: the six sailboats and crew currently racing around the world in the Volvo Ocean Race.

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CTD under sparkling clear blue water. Image credit: NOAA

February 2015 Western Boundary Time Series Cruise

AOML physical oceanographers Molly Baringer, Ulises Rivero, Pedro Pena, Andrew Stefanick, Grant Rawson, Jay Hooper and Francis Bringas conducted a Western Boundary Times Series cruise aboard the UNOLS R/V Endeavor on February 15, 2015. Molly Baringer, AOML Deputy Director, served as chief scientist and was supported by additional crew from the University of Puerto Rico. Scientists measured full water column values of salinity, temperature, and oxygen. Scientists also telemetered data from a series of moorings along the 26th north parallel for a joint NOAA and National Science Foundation program designed to monitor the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation current. Francis Bringas also conducted a fall rate experiment that consisted of deploying 200 XBTs from different launch heights.

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