oceans and climate

Iron from burning fossil fuels found in the Pacific Ocean

A coal powerplant

New research published in PNAS this week suggests that human-derived iron entering the ocean from burning fossil fuels could have an impact on the global climate, as well as marine life.

Major European grant using autonomous technology awarded to NOC Scientist

Glider ballasting ready for deployments later this year

NOC oceanographer Dr Stephanie Henson has been awarded a major research grant from the European Research Council (ERC).

NOC contributes to global observing system strategy

RAPID buoys

The Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO) presented the new observational strategy at a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday ahead of the annual meeting of the organisation.

Impacts of extreme North Atlantic winter cooling

Extreme weather at sea (image: Ben Moat)

New research has revealed the impact on the North Atlantic of severe ocean surface heat loss during the extreme winter 2013–14.

Global climate on verge of multi-decadal change

The RAPID array being deployed

A study, published today in Nature, demonstrates that ocean circulation is the link between weather and decadal scale climatic change.

Ten years of ocean monitoring uncovers secrets of changing UK winters

Deploying a RAPID buoy

A ground-breaking project to observe and analyse regular data about ocean circulation and how it impacts on Britain’s climate has reached a ten-year milestone, giving valuable new insights into how ocean currents can affect global warming.

Saturday’s ‘supermoon’ will cause exceptional high tides

‘Supermoon’ seen from Canary Wharf, 2014 (credit: Matt Buck)

‘Supermoon’ is a term widely used to refer to when either a full or new moon coincides with the closest approach the Moon has to Earth in its elliptical orbit.

The influence of chaotic ocean eddies

One of the 44 idealised simulations of the Southern Ocean using Q-GCM, showing the potential vorticity at the ocean surface

Research at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has highlighted the significance of eddies and chaos within the ocean in controlling the response to forcing from climate change. Therefore, it is important that scientists are careful when accounting for these while interpreting ocean observations or computer model forecasts of climate.

The importance of buckets to climate science

Infrared picture of the canvas bucket filled with warm water

NOC research on the effect of buckets on climatic data was featured in the recent BBC documentary ‘Climate Change by Numbers’, which framed the science of climate change using three numbers.

Tides stir up deep Atlantic Heat in the Arctic Ocean

Working in the Arctic Ocean

Research led by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), in collaboration with the University of Bangor, have identified how warm Atlantic water that is flowing deep into the Arctic Ocean is mixing with colder waters above to contribute to sea-ice loss in the Arctic.

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