PMEL Highlights
The El Niño Southern Oscillation is one of the most intensively studied climate drivers on the planet. During the warm El Niño phase, vast volumes of warm water release heat previously trapped in the deep ocean, altering weather patterns around the globe.
Oceanographers use climate models to understand how the rate and location of this heat transfer reorganizes the atmosphere. However, new research by scientists at the University of Washington and NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory has demonstrated how climate models systematically misrepresent one of the important modulators of
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Our Value to Society
The Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) provides trusted scientific information, critical observations, and groundbreaking research to advance knowledge of the global ocean and its interactions with Earth systems. The work of PMEL scientists and engineers strengthens society's capacity to improve weather/climate predictions, fisheries management, and coastal resilience. PMEL is committed to finding answers to the world's most difficult and pressing environmental challenges.