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
A New Approach to Studying the Air-Sea Flux
A group of over 50 researchers have made the case for a new permanent unmanned surface vessel (USV) network to complement the mature and emerging networks within the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS).They have drawn up a blueprint for guiding the global USV community towards an integrated approach to a key ocean observing frontier: the air-sea flux (the interface between the ocean and the atmosphere).Here, momentum, energy, freshwater and gases are exchanged which drive ocean circulation, the Earth’s energy budget, weather and climate.Despite its importance, this interface remains minimally
Study of Subsea Volcanoes Aims to Improve Event Forecasting
Scientists from the UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) have led an international team on an expedition in and around Santorini, Greece, to enhance forecasting ability for subsea volcanic eruptions.Hundreds of the most dangerous volcanoes on Earth are found in the ocean, but almost none are monitored, making the hazards for nearby coastal communities and critical infrastructure difficult to forecast.In the ocean, the explosivity of eruptions is complicated by interactions with seawater and fluids circulating through volcanoes, making them even more unpredictable.Using advanced underwater
NOC AUVs To Boost Portugal Ocean Science Research
A leading European research, technology and innovation organization has chosen underwater robotics from the UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) to help advance its marine research capabilities.The agreement will see Madeira Island’s Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation, ARDITI, acquire two NOC Autosub Long Range (ALR) autonomous underwater vehicles, for use in ocean science offshore Portugal and beyond.NOC’s ALRs can significantly advance ocean research supporting unprecedented data collection capabilities, from mapping to marine biogeochemical
Trump Moves to More Easily Fire NOAA, DOE Employees
The Trump administration has begun the process of reclassifying workers at some agencies to a new job category with fewer protections, according to two sources familiar with the situation and an email seen by Reuters.The moves, which the sources said are taking place at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Energy, are the first evidence the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is following through on a plan announced in his first day in office to recategorize tens of thousands of government workers to facilitate layoffs and remove career civil servants
CSIRO Science Ship Takes Students on Tasmanian Circumnavigation
to surveys of deep-sea ecosystems and marine life.Students will be involved in seafloor mapping and sediment sampling, and will also participate in the search for a historic shipwreck off the northwest coast of Tasmania.CAPSTAN students' background studies range from biological and chemical oceanography to geoscience and engineering. Women make up two thirds of students on the voyage.The voyage is the first in the CAPSTAN program following the completion of a pilot program during 2017 to 2020.Two more CAPSTAN training voyages are planned in the upcoming voyage schedules of RV Investigator
Complex Data Frameworks Hamper Early Career Ocean Professionals
In an article published in Frontiers of Marine Science, Dr Anabel von Jackowski from CNRS/Sorbonne Université in France aims to provide better support for early career ocean professionals.Ocean observations from sources such as satellites, vehicle and ship-based measurements and animal tagging feed into networks that either focus on obtaining data, e.g., similar instruments, or a social focus that aims to connect participants, e.g., early career or science-policy interface.These platforms and associated networks feed into the Framework for Ocean Observing (FOO) with a set of Essential Ocean
February 2025
