Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML)

Scientists at AOML with the Coral Program have officially started a new series of experiments investigating coral resilience to multiple environmental stressors as part of the four-year project: Florida Regional Ecosystems Stressors Collaborative Assessment (FRESCA). This project seeks to investigate the impacts of five key stressors - hypoxia, higher sea surface temperatures, ocean acidification, and harmful algal blooms (HABs) and eutrophication (excessive nutrients) - across South Florida's crucial ecosystems from Biscayne Bay to the Florida Keys and the West Florida Shelf. Organized into four modules, one of the key goals of Module 2 is aimed at identifying specific thresholds of reef-building species of corals to different combinations of these environmental stressors - and how scientists can ultimately enhance their resilience to these ocean conditions. With experiments beginning in the newly-upgraded AOML Experimental Reef Lab (ERL) located on the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science campus, this marks a key milestone for this ambitious project. Learn more about this exciting step and FRESCA at the link: https://lnkd.in/edHnXj5U.

Researchers at AOML continue to make progress in understanding the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). In a recent study scientists at AOML found that extensive weakening of the AMOC occurred in the 2000s, but has paused since the early 2010s due to a tug-of-war between the natural and anthropogenic signals. Scientists analyzed multiple climate and ocean model simulations together with direct observational data and found that an extensive weakening of the AMOC occurred in the 2000s. However, since the early 2010s, the natural component of the AMOC has greatly strengthened due to the development of a strong positive North Atlantic Oscillation. The enhanced natural AMOC signal cancels out the anthropogenic weakening signal, leading to a near stalling of the AMOC weakening. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dYByN3fe

Scientists at AOML with the Coral Program have successfully retrieved the Mission: Iconic Reefs sofar buoy located at Carysfort Reef for maintenance - a buoy aptly named "Keanu Reefs." This buoy is one of four that our scientists maintain and deploy throughout the Florida Keys to observe changes in pH, wind speed, wave energy and sea surface temperature at crucial reefs identified by the NOAA-wide, partner-driven Mission: Iconic Reefs effort. With the other three located at Cheeca Rocks, Sombrero Reef, and Horseshoe Reef, our scientists are able monitor fluctuations in ocean conditions at these essential sites - now made publicly available through our Mission: Iconic Reefs Environmental monitoring app here: https://lnkd.in/eemu2aez

Our partners at the Cooperative Institute of Marine & Atmospheric Studies are hiring an Omics Lab Manager to work in the NOAA AOML Omics Lab: https://lnkd.in/e2TDusgg

Scientists at AOML with the Coral Program perform comprehensive climate monitoring across coral reefs in the Greater Caribbean from the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as part of NOAA's larger National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). Conducting photomosaic and carbonate budget surveys, our teams are able to examine long-term changes in reef integrity and the persistence of specific species in the face of environmental stressors - rising sea surface temperatures, ocean acidification and so on. In the summer of 2024, our scientists returned to the Dry Tortugas as part of this ongoing effort. Learn more about the current status of these crucial reefs by reviewing the 2024 Dry Tortugas Climate Monitoring Report here: https://lnkd.in/ebFpVAhT

Happy Holidays! This is the time of year where many people may be thinking more than usual about the North Pole. But what is the North Pole actually like? Scientist at AOML and the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, Leticia Barbero, recently cruised aboard the Ponant’s 500ft cruise vessel Le Comandant Charcot crossing the Arctic to perform crucial research investigating the ocean's accumulation of atmospheric carbon. Learn more about her experience, this research, and what it's like to cross the Arctic here: https://lnkd.in/ecvsApfB

For those in the area, see AOML scientist Ian Enochs present on ongoing coral research.

Argo, the “crown jewel” of ocean observing systems, is turning 25! In the quarter century since the Argo program’s robotic floats began drifting with currents and diving for data, this now 4,000-strong fleet has: –Helped scientists to better understand changes in the ocean. –Improve climate and weather forecasts.  – Prepare society for environmental change. Check out our feature story to see how Argo has made critical innovations in observations: https://lnkd.in/eD_PAR2C Pictured: Image 1: Researchers deploy an Argo float into the sea to gather data throughout the water column. Credit NOAA. Image 2: Up-close view of the sensors on a Biogeochemical Argo float (2020). Credit: NOAA.

Today, we celebrate 25 years of the Argo Program! Scientists at NOAA help to lead and support this international program that collects crucial observations of the global ocean using free-drifting profiling floats known as Argo floats. Distributed globally over the ocean, Argo floats dive between one and nearly four miles deep to collect data and drift with currents. The array, of more than 4,000 floats, has helped scientists to better understand changes in the ocean, improve climate and weather forecasts and ultimately help society prepare for environmental change. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e9nw2iga

Today marks the five-year anniversary of the launch of Mission: Iconic Reefs! On December 9, 2019, NOAA launched MISSION: ICONIC REEFS is a NOAA-led, partner-driven effort that aims to restore structure, function, and resiliency to nearly three million square feet of Florida’s Coral Reef over the next two decades. One of the largest restoration efforts currently underway, Mission: Iconic Reefs seeks to combat the decline of the region’s essential ecosystem that brings critical services to the nation, generates billions of dollars for the economy, and provides tens of thousands of jobs annually. With a focus on seven coral reefs across the Florida Keys, scientists at AOML support the mission of Mission: Iconic Reefs with routine field operations to collect carbonate budget and photomosaic surveys of these reefs as well as deploy new sofar buoys capturing ocean conditions at 5 of the 7 reefs in near-real time - now being displayed on the new M:IR application. To see conditions on the application, click here: https://lnkd.in/eemu2aez  To learn more about Mission: Iconic Reefs: https://lnkd.in/eSmMaVsh