PMEL in the News
Ocean forecast offers seasonal outlook for Pacific Northwest waters
By now we are used to the idea of seasonal weather forecasts – whether to expect an El Niño ski season, or an unusually warm summer. These same types of climate models are now being adapted to make seasonal forecasts for the region’s coastal waters.
Deep-sea hydrothermal vents more abundant than thought
The deep, dark ocean bottom teems with far more oases of life than once thought. Searching along the sunless seafloor where tectonic plates pull apart, regions known as spreading ridges, researchers discovered that heat-spewing hydrothermal vents are at least three to six times as abundant as previously assumed.
Alert! El Niño To Bring Fastest Rise in CO2 in 2016
Climate scientists warned that levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is going to be at its highest this year. Contrary to what experts have previously estimated, CO2 levels will exceed a benchmark of 400 parts per million (ppm) for the entire year, as measured atop Hawaii's famous Mauna Loa volcano.
Unmanned ‘Saildrones’ Depart Once Again from Dutch Harbor on Bering Sea Data-Gathering Mission
The innovative Saildrones, developed by Saildrone Inc, have once again been deployed to the Bering Sea, taking the place of manned vessels to gather information from areas that are generally inaccessible to full-sized research vessels, and are able to operate in a more cost-effective way.
It's Not Too Late To Do Something To Save Our Oceans
Today’s headlines can be scary: Our waters are warmer than ever; there are less fish in our seas; one-third of the coral reefs are being bleached, and by 2050, there could be more plastic than fish floating in our oceans.