Research physicist named director of Earth System Research Lab Chemical Sciences Division Research physicist named director of Earth System Research Lab Chemical Sciences Division Craig McLean, the acting assistant administrator for NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, announced Wednesday, December 24, that David Fahey, Ph.D., has been selected as the new director of the Earth System Research Laboratory Chemical Sciences Division (CSD), in Boulder, Colorado, effective December 28, 2014. Read more
New study finds Alaskans familiar with ocean acidification, not aware of risks to fisheries New study finds Alaskans familiar with ocean acidification, not aware of risks to fisheries New research published in Marine Policy from the first Alaska-focused study on public understanding and awareness of ocean acidification risk shows that Alaskans are three times more aware of ocean acidification than Americans in general. However, Alaskans have difficulty seeing ocean acidification as an immediate risk, and the direct risks to Alaska’s fisheries are still not well understood. The research, “Gauging perceptions of ocean acidification in Alaska,” can be read online. Read more
Shock of Indian Ocean tsunami fuels decade of research progress Shock of Indian Ocean tsunami fuels decade of research progress New generation of warning products increase tsunami preparedness Nearly 10 years ago, the world woke the day after Christmas to news of the most deadly tsunami in recorded history. Triggered by an underwater earthquake, the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004, took the lives of nearly 240,000 unwarned people in four hours and displaced 1.7 million people in over 14 countries. Over the last 10 years, NOAA scientists have worked to dramatically improve tsunami warning and forecasts that can and have helped the nation and the world. Read more
NOAA and partners document surge in Great Lakes water levels NOAA and partners document surge in Great Lakes water levels Levels expected to stay above-average through winter and spring of 2015 Scientists at the Army Corps of Engineers, Environment Canada, and NOAA recently documented a record-setting surge in water levels on Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron that began in January 2013, and has continued through November 2014. The United States and Canadian federal agencies expect water levels to stay near or above average on all of the Great Lakes over the next six months. Read more
Researchers offer new insights into predicting future droughts in California Researchers offer new insights into predicting future droughts in California Natural cycles, sea surface temperatures found to be main drivers in ongoing event According to a new NOAA-sponsored study, natural oceanic and atmospheric patterns are the primary drivers behind California's ongoing drought. A high pressure ridge off the West Coast (typical of historic droughts) prevailed for three winters, blocking important wet season storms, with ocean surface temperature patterns making such a ridge much more likely. Typically, the winter season in California provides the state with a majority of its annual snow and rainfall that replenish water supplies for communities and ecosystems. Read more
NOAA scientists to share research and resiliency tools at international climate meeting NOAA scientists to share research and resiliency tools at international climate meeting Presentations by Amanda McCarty and Libby Jewett to be web-streamed live from Lima, Peru Several NOAA scientists will present information on climate research and new tools to build greater resiliency to climate change at a meeting on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Lima, Peru, that will run from December 1-12. 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