Weekly Ocean News

Weekly Ocean News

DATASTREME OCEAN WEEK THREE: 6-10 February 2012

Ocean in the News

Eye on the tropics --- Tropical cyclone activity continued across the South Indian and South Pacific basins during the past week as Southern Hemisphere summer continues.
In the South Indian Ocean Basin, Cyclone Iggy traveled southward well off the coast of Western Australia early last week. For a time, Cyclone Iggy had become a category 1 tropical cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Scale as maximum sustained surface winds reached at least 75 mph. By late in the week, this cyclone had weakened to a tropical depression as it turned toward the east. Remnants of this system made landfall near Perth, the capital of Western Australia. For satellite imagery and additional information on Cyclone Iggy, consult the NASA Hurricane Page.
In the South Pacific basin, Tropical Storm Jasmine formed this past weekend over the waters of the Coral Sea off the northeast coast of Queensland, Australia. This tropical storm formed from a monsoonal low pressure area called System 95P that initially formed over the Gulf of Carpentaria, traveled eastward across Australia's Cape York Peninsula to the Coral Sea where it develop into Tropical Storm Jasmine. See the NASA Hurricane Page for additional information on Jasmine, which was initially identified as System 95P.
USS Monitor 150th anniversary website is launched -- On the anniversary of the launch of the USS Monitor last Monday, NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries announced that they have launched a new website designed to highlight the 150-year history of this Civil War-era ironclad ship. [NOAA News]
First images obtained from new satellite instrument-- The NASA/NOAA team responsible for the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument onboard NASA's new Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite released the first images that this instrument scanned of Earth. The CERES instrument is providing a continuation of measurements of the energy leaving the Earth-atmosphere system that should provide scientists a long term record of the components of the Earth's energy budget. [NASA Langley Research Center]
"Google Earth" gets major update in seafloor maps -- The newest version of Google Earth, a highly popular virtual globe, map and geographical information program, contains updated bathymetry data obtained from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center that provides a sharper resolution of seafloor maps. [Scripps News]
EPA announces improved website for beach advisories/closures and funding to clean nation's beaches -- The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced an improvement to its website called BEACON that is used to provide the public information on beach advisories and closures across the nation. Enhanced map navigation and display tools have been added along with the capability to update the site every two hours based upon new data provided by state and local officials.
The EPA also announced that it will provide nearly $10 million in grants to local authorities that will be intended to assist in modification of beach water quality and in the notification of the public of unsafe swimming conditions. [EPA Newsroom]
Correlation found between summer Arctic sea ice and Central European winter weather -- Scientists at Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research report that they have found a correlation between summertime sea ice in the Arctic Ocean and winter weather across winter weather in Central Europe, with an increased probability for cold winters with more snow occurring when the Arctic has less sea ice coverage in summer. They attribute this apparent correlation to changes in the atmospheric pressure patterns across the region associated with the shrinking sea ice cover. [Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research]
Future tropical cyclones could cause increased damage -- Based upon research conducted at Yale University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIR), scientists warn that tropical cyclones (such as hurricanes, typhoons or tropical storms) could cause $109 billion in damages by the end of the 21st century due to a combination of factors that would include increased vulnerability from increased population and economic growth and also changes in global climate that would result in more frequent and intense tropical cyclones due to higher temperatures. They estimate that damages associated with population vulnerability would increase to $56 billion by 2100, while changing climate would cause $53 billion in damage. The United States and China would be the hardest hit according to their forecasts. [Yale School Forestry & Environmental Studies]
An All-Hazards Monitor -- This Web portal provides the user information from NOAA on current environmental events that may pose as hazards such as tropical weather, drought, floods, marine weather, tsunamis, rip currents, Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and coral bleaching. [NOAAWatch]
Global and US Hazards/Climate Extremes -- A review and analysis of the global impacts of various weather-related events, to include drought, floods and storms during the current month. [NCDC]
Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Concept of the Week: Sea Water Salinity and Carbon Dioxide

In view of the contemporary concern regarding global climate change, scientists are studying the various factors that govern the ocean's ability to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide. Concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide are on the rise primarily because of the burning of fossil fuels (i.e., coal, oil, natural gas). Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas (an atmospheric gas that absorbs and radiates infrared radiation) so that higher levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide may be contributing to global warming. The ocean's role in regulating the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide depends on the temperature, salinity, and biological components of surface waters.

As noted in Chapter 3 of your textbook, gases are more soluble in cold seawater than warm seawater. Hence, changes in sea surface temperature affect the ability of the ocean to absorb carbon dioxide. As noted in Chapter 1 of your textbook, photosynthetic organisms take up carbon dioxide and release oxygen. And through cellular respiration, all organisms release carbon dioxide. What about the effects of changes in salinity on the ocean's uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide? Research from the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii provides some insight on this question.

Since the late 1980s, scientists have been recording ocean conditions at a site (dubbed ALOHA) about 100 km (62 mi) north of Oahu. In 2003, David M. Karl, a biogeochemist at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, reported a decline in the rate at which surface ocean waters were absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In fact, in 2001, the rate of CO₂ uptake was only about 15% of what it was in 1989. Why the change in CO₂ uptake? In this region of the Pacific north of Hawaii, sea surface temperatures showed no significant change during the period of observation but precipitation decreased and evaporation increased. Less precipitation coupled with higher rates of evaporation caused the surface water salinity at ALOHA to increase by about 1%. Increasing salinity inhibits water's ability to absorb gases including carbon dioxide. Karl and his colleagues attribute 40% of the decline in the ocean's CO₂ uptake to the saltier waters. The balance of the decline may be due to changes in biological productivity or ocean mixing.

Concept of the Week: Questions

With rising sea surface temperatures, the rate of evaporation of sea water [(increases)(decreases)].
With increasing salinity and constant temperature, the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide that is taken up by ocean water [(increases)(decreases)].

Historical Events

6 February 1933...The highest reliably observed ocean wave was observed by crew of the US Navy oiler, USS Ramapo, in the North Pacific during the night on its way from Manila to San Diego. The wave was estimated (by triangulation) to have a height of 112 feet. Average winds at the time were 78 mph. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar) (See additional discussion on highest ocean waves)
7 February 1969...USCGC Tern, commissioned on this date and stationed in New York, embodied an advanced concept in servicing aids to navigation. Her over-the-stern gantry system of handling buoys is unique. The automation and modernization of over-age, isolated lighthouses and light stations showed significant progress this year. A new, more effective version of the LAMP (Lighthouse Automation and Modernization Project) plan was promulgated in this year. (USCG Historian's Office)
7 February 1978...The worst winter storm of record struck coastal New England. The storm produced 27.5 inches of snow at Boston, and nearly 50 inches in northeastern Rhode Island. The fourteen-foot tide at Portland, ME was probably the highest of the century. Winds gusted to 79 mph at Boston, and reached 92 mph at Chatham, MA. A hurricane-size surf caused 75 deaths and 500 million dollars damage. (David Ludlum)
8 February 1987...A powerful storm produced blizzard conditions in the Great Lakes Region. North winds of 50 to 70 mph raised the water level of southern Lake Michigan two feet, and produced waves 12 to 18 feet high, causing seven million dollars damage along the Chicago area shoreline. It was the most damage caused by shoreline flooding and erosion in the history of the city of Chicago. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
8 January 2001...The log-carrying ship, Leo Forest, lost much of its cargo as over 2300 logs went overboard approximately 400 miles north of Adak, AK. The ship lost power in waves that were greater than 35 feet and the loss of the logs caused the ship to list 10 degrees to port (left) with the bow three feet down. Fortunately, the ship made safe passage to Dutch Harbor for repairs. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
9 February 1942...The French Liner Normandie, a 79,280-ton luxury ocean liner, burned and capsized in New York Harbor during its conversion to an Allied trip transport ship. (The History Channel)
10 February 1807...With the backing of President Thomas Jefferson, the US Coast Survey was authorized by Congress "to provide for surveying the coasts of the United States." The Coast Survey represents the oldest U.S. scientific organization to encourage commerce and to support a growing economy in a safe and efficient manner. (NOAA History)
10 February 1940...USCGC Bibb and Duane made the first transmissions as weather stations as part of the Atlantic Weather Patrol. (USCG Historian's Office)
11 February 1809...The American inventor, Robert Fulton patented his steamboat, the Clermont, for the first time, although he had made the first successful steamboat trip up the Hudson River from New York City to Albany, NY in 1807. (Wikipedia) (Today in Science)
11 February 1862...The Secretary of the Navy directed the formation of an organization to evaluate new inventions and technical development, which eventually led to the National Academy of Science. (Naval Historical Center)
11 February 1971...The US and the USSR, along with other nations, signed the multilateral Seabed Treaty outlawing the emplacement of nuclear weapons (or "weapons of mass destruction") on the ocean floor in international waters, or beyond a 12-mile coastal zone. (Wikipedia)
12 February 1907...A collision of the steamer Larchmont and a large schooner, the Harris Knowlton, during a blizzard resulted in the deaths of 332 people. Only nine survivors were rescued. The incident occurred off Rhode Island's Block Island and was the worst disaster in New England maritime history. (RMS Titanic History)
12 February 1997...A combination of heavy surf and high winds contributed to the overturning of a U.S. Coast Guard motor life boat (MLB 44363) on a search and rescue mission when responding to a distress call from the sailing vessel Gale Runner in the stormy North Pacific Ocean off Washington State's Quillayute River Bar. Three of four crewmembers lost their lives in the first fatal sinking of this type of ship in its 35-year history. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar) (USCG Historian's Office)