NOAA research links human-caused CO2 emissions to dissolving sea snail shells off U.S. West Coast NOAA research links human-caused CO2 emissions to dissolving sea snail shells off U.S. West Coast For the first time, NOAA and partner scientists have connected the concentration of human-caused carbon dioxide in waters off the U.S. Pacific coast to the dissolving of shells of microscopic marine sea snails called pteropods. Read more
Scientists test a new tool to improve local precipitation forecasts Scientists test a new tool to improve local precipitation forecasts A new weather forecasting tool could soon find itself part of the day-to-day operations of NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS). The instrument, called Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer, or AERI, measures temperature, water vapor and trace gases (like ozone, carbon monoxide and methane) in the lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere, the troposphere. Now, an AERI project led by Tim Wagner, a scientist with NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, has received funding through NOAA’s Joint Technology Transfer Program. Read more
Study shows ocean acidification is two-front assault on coral reefs Study shows ocean acidification is two-front assault on coral reefs Scientists studying coral reefs in volcanically acidified water of the southwestern Pacific Ocean measured a net loss of coral reef skeletons due to increased bio-erosion, according to new research by NOAA, the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) and Australian scientists. Read more
NOAA Research grants support continued tornado research in the Southeast NOAA Research grants support continued tornado research in the Southeast A study of tornadoes in the southeastern United States begins its second year this month as NOAA Research announces awards of $2.5 million in grants presented to partner institutions. Read more
Q&A: Is Arctic warming fueling severe winter weather in the mid-latitudes? Q&A: Is Arctic warming fueling severe winter weather in the mid-latitudes? We caught up with James Overland, oceanographer at NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Lab, to hear about his latest research on whether Arctic warming is fueling more severe winter weather in the mid-latitudes, the temperate zone of the Earth between the tropics and the Arctic, and the part of the United States where most Americans live. Read more
Antarctic ozone hole about average in 2016 Antarctic ozone hole about average in 2016 Results are consistent with expectations, scientists say The hole in the Earth’s ozone layer that forms over Antarctica each September grew to about 8.9 million square miles in 2016 before starting to recover, according to scientists from NOAA and NASA who monitor the annual phenomenon. Read more
Atmospheric carbon dioxide rebounds as global pollution rates approach pre-Covid levels 5Nov2021 Read more Read more
Craig N. McLean, director of NOAA Research, to retire 18Nov2021 Read more Craig N. McLean, assistant administrator of NOAA Research, who began his NOAA career as a uniformed officer in the NOAA Corps four decades ago and rose to lead the agency’s research division and become a champion of ocean exploration, scientific integrity and science diplomacy, has announced his plan to retire from public service on April 1, 2022. Read more
Meet Ko Barrett: NOAA's senior advisor for climate and IPCC vice-chair 1Nov2021 Read more At the end of October, a small team of NOAA experts traveled to Glasgow, Scotland to attend the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), an international summit aimed at accelerating climate action across the globe. Read more
Southern Ocean confirmed as strong carbon dioxide sink 3Dec2021 Read more A new study published this week in the journal Science estimates the Southern Ocean absorbs 550 million tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere per year, confirming its role as a significant carbon sink. Read more
NOAA Research's top 5 stories from 2021 14Dec2021 Read more Spectacular footage from inside a hurricane; a major ocean mapping milestone; new insights on the continued impacts of climate change, and much more -- 2021 was a busy year for NOAA Research. As the year draws to a close, we’re taking a look back at a few of our biggest research stories of the last 12 months. Read more