PMEL in the News
La Niña sea temperatures driving floods in Australia and drought in the United States and Africa
Right now, a broad plume of cool water has pooled in the Pacific Ocean, west of South America. It's the signature of La Niña. While Australia waits to see whether La Niña will be declared, the United States has already called it, using slightly less stringent criteria. Mike McPhaden is featured.
USV returns from first caldera survey in Tonga loaded with 'astounding' data
SEA-KIT International’s Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) Maxlimer has returned from an initial survey mission inside the caldera of the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha'apai (HT–HH) volcano carrying a plethora of data and imagery to fill important gaps in current understanding and knowledge of the seamount and water above it. Sharon Walker is quoted.
‘Triple La Niña’: Australia may face another summer of flooding rains, US expert warns
Australia’s east coast could be hit by a rare “triple La Niña” that brings flooding rains and cooler weather for the third summer in a row, a senior US government scientist says. Experts say the prospect of a triple La Niña is real, but there is disagreement between different computer models and Australia could yet avoid a return of summer floods. Mike McPhaden is quoted.
An ocean first: Underwater drone tracks CO2 in Alaska gulf
In the cold, choppy waters of Alaska’s Resurrection Bay, all eyes were on the gray water, looking for one thing only. It wasn’t a spout from humpback whales that power through this scenic fjord, or a sea otter lazing on its back, munching a king crab. Instead, everyone aboard the Nanuq, a University of Alaska Fairbanks research vessel, was looking where a 5-foot-long, bright pink underwater sea glider surfaced. Richard Feely is quoted.
New NOAA technology to study changing ocean ecosystem
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is developing new research technology to better understand the changing ecosystems of the Arctic. It plans to debut one such piece of technology, the Oculus Coastal Glider, summer 2022 to study the Bering Sea. Phyllis Stabeno is quoted from the Strait Science seminar.