A measurement of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil slick thickness/volume with critical socio-economic implications has been reported by researchers from a range of academic, government and industry bodies including the University of South Florida, the U.S. Geological Survey, NOAA, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Managements, and Abt Associates.
Eight years after Deepwater Horizon, we reflect on the extraordinary establishment of the largest coordinated scientific endeavor around an ocean event – the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) – to understand, respond to, and mitigate impacts from this and future oil spills.
A new study shows that sunlight transforms oil spills on the ocean surface more quickly and significantly than previously thought, limiting the effectiveness of chemical dispersants that break up floating oil.
“I was not going to be stopped,” said Dr. Rita Colwell describing how she faced hurdles, many related to being a woman during her 60+ year science career, and blazed paths, including her being the first female director of the National Science Foundation.
Call for nominations: Standing Committee to advise on the Understanding Gulf Ocean Systems Research Campaign – APRIL 21, 2018 The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine invites you to nominate experts to serve on a new standing committee to guide the Gulf Research Program in the design, planning, and implementation of a long-term research…
Researchers analyzed 3D renderings of oil-particle aggregates to better understand their interactions in turbulent environments. The team found that hydrodynamic forces can cause sediment particles to act as projectiles that penetrate oil droplets.
The United Nations is developing the 2nd World Ocean Assessment and is looking for scientists from a broad range of marine-related disciplines to join their Pool of Experts. Scientists with expertise in the world’s ocean and marine areas, and especially those with experience in social sciences, are encouraged to apply.
“Magical discovery moments” is how Dr. Samantha “Mandy” Joye describes scenes at the bottom of the ocean. Now, thanks to the BBC-produced documentary series Blue Planet II, we can get a glimpse of these discovery moments and join discussions about the ocean’s importance.
Researchers designed an automated network-based classification method to process large acoustic datasets and identify distinct dolphin click types without requiring prior knowledge of their distinguishing features. The method identified seven click types from over 50 million echolocation clicks recorded in the Gulf of Mexico – six clicks of unknown origin and one click belonging to the Risso’s dolphin species.
Natural seeps are abundant in the Gulf of Mexico and help create a chemically unique habitat where microbial populations can flourish. Andy Montgomery is researching the relationship between marine microbes and ocean chemistry and how chemical shifts affect the role microorganisms play in biogeochemical cycling, a common pathway for chemicals and organic matter to move through the ocean.