https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from National Oceanography Centre, Southampton A new international study has cast doubts on the view that variations in the density of some of the deepest currents of the subpolar North Atlantic Ocean are caused by winter surface conditions and represent changes in the strength of the Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC). https://phys.org/news/2021-06-north-atlantic-currents-linked-meridional.html Earth Sciences Fri, 11 Jun 2021 09:20:01 EDT news542621435 For the first time, scientists have been able to study the deposits of a volcanic island landslide-tsunami immediately after the incident with the benefit of modern acoustic equipment. Dr James Hunt from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), in partnership with Professor Dave Tappin from the British Geological Survey, have produced the first marine survey results of the December 22nd, 2018 landslide at Anak Krakatau, in Indonesia, that created the deadly 'silent' tsunami that affected Sumatra and Java. https://phys.org/news/2021-05-megablocks-seafloor-reveal-anak-krakatau.html Earth Sciences Wed, 26 May 2021 04:23:09 EDT news541221783 Engineers from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) are set to trial new, state-of-the-art robot submarines in Loch Ness to pave the way for safer and more cost-efficient offshore operations. The latest phase of Oceanids—a programme with several industry partnerships which aims to put the UK at the forefront of world-class autonomous technology development—will see the team pilot the latest version of the NOC's successful Autosub Long Range (ALR) vehicle to ensure its capabilities are ready for scientific deployments anywhere in the ocean. The newly developed ALR, better known as Boaty McBoatface, offers a step change in capability compared to the earlier model. https://phys.org/news/2021-05-trials-robot-submarines-scotland-environmental.html Earth Sciences Wed, 26 May 2021 04:18:09 EDT news541221483 For the first time, scientists have used ocean measurements taken on research voyages almost 150 years ago to learn more about how human activity has impacted climate change. https://phys.org/news/2021-05-earliest-round-the-world-marine-voyages-insights.html Earth Sciences Tue, 25 May 2021 07:39:07 EDT news541147040 New research reveals the importance of the Monsoon in how abundant small pelagic fish are in East Africa. https://phys.org/news/2020-08-monsoons-yield-east-african-fisheries.html Ecology Thu, 06 Aug 2020 08:45:54 EDT news515922349 The Maritime Archaeological Trust has discovered a new 8,000 year old structure next to what is believed to be the oldest boat building site in the world on the Isle of Wight. https://phys.org/news/2019-08-stone-age-boat-site-underwater.html Archaeology Tue, 20 Aug 2019 10:40:02 EDT news485514457 Research published earlier in the week reveals that microplastics often accumulate on the deep sea floor in the same place as diverse and dense marine life communities. This is because the same submarine sediment flows that transfer the oxygen and nutrients needed to sustain life, also transport microplastics from urban rivers to the deep-sea floor via pathways such as submarine canyons. https://phys.org/news/2019-05-microplastics-accumulate-hotspots-deep-sea-life.html Environment Thu, 02 May 2019 09:50:01 EDT news476007811 Key areas of the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and the Pacific should be designated protected areas in order to safeguard vulnerable coastal communities' livelihoods, new research published this week reveals. https://phys.org/news/2019-03-high-seas-crucial-safeguarding-vulnerable.html Environment Wed, 13 Mar 2019 09:49:40 EDT news471689371 Scientists at the NOC have released a forward-looking review of how marine robotic capabilities can support the environmental monitoring needed for decommissioning oil and gas installations. This review shows how already-existing sensors and autonomous platforms could be used to assess all the types of marine environment encountered during decommissioning monitoring. The approach was tested and refined in consultation with representatives from industry, environmental managers and regulators. https://phys.org/news/2019-03-robots-revolutionise-marine-environmental.html Environment Tue, 12 Mar 2019 10:00:04 EDT news471600479 After going missing on Christmas Day five years ago, deep ocean measuring equipment belonging to the UK's National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has just been found on a beach in Tasmania by a local resident after making an incredible 14,000 km journey across the ocean. https://phys.org/news/2018-12-ocean-instrument-years-sea.html Earth Sciences Fri, 14 Dec 2018 10:40:02 EST news464004295 On Saturday 20th October the Royal Research Ship (RRS) James Cook departed on an expedition during which a new automated system of collecting climate data will be trialed. If successful, the new technology could help improve long-range European weather forecasts in the future. https://phys.org/news/2018-10-marine-robots-european-weather-future.html Earth Sciences Mon, 29 Oct 2018 09:10:25 EDT news460021926 A new link between processes in the open ocean and coastal sea-level has been revealed in a Nature Communications paper, published today by scientists at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC). https://phys.org/news/2018-07-sunny-day-coast-atlantic-rossby.html Environment Wed, 04 Jul 2018 07:54:30 EDT news449909661 A new study has predicted that future global warming will lead to an increase in 'extreme sea levels', with consequent flood risks to coastal infrastructure and human populations. https://phys.org/news/2018-06-extreme-sea-global-coastlines.html Environment Wed, 27 Jun 2018 09:02:23 EDT news449308933 New insights into animal patterns around extinct submarine volcanoes could inform measures used to protect marine ecosystems from human activities, such as trawling and deep-sea mining. These insights have been published today in Nature Scientific Reports, and show that the structure of marine life communities depends on depth and small-scale features on the sea floor. https://phys.org/news/2018-03-insights-biodiversity-hotspots-potential-deep-sea.html Environment Thu, 08 Mar 2018 08:14:54 EST news439719275 New research, published today in Nature Scientific Reports, not only implies a link between catastrophic volcanic eruptions and landslides, but also suggests that landslides are the trigger. https://phys.org/news/2018-01-large-volcanic-island-flank-collapses.html Earth Sciences Fri, 19 Jan 2018 08:06:18 EST news435571567 Water contaminated by the oil currently leaking into the ocean from the Sanchi tanker collision is likely to take at least three months to reach land, and if it does the Korean coast is the most likely location. However, the oil's fate is highly uncertain, as it may burn, evaporate, or mix into the surface ocean and contaminate the environment for an extended duration. https://phys.org/news/2018-01-sanchi-oil-contamination-months-mainland.html Earth Sciences Mon, 15 Jan 2018 06:46:37 EST news435221186 A new international study has demonstrated that deep-sea nodule mining will cause long-lasting damage to deep-sea life. This study, led by scientists at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), was the first to review all the available information on the impacts of small-scale sea-floor disturbances simulating mining activity. It found clear impacts on marine ecosystems from deep-sea nodule mining activities, which lasted at least for decades. https://phys.org/news/2017-02-long-term-impacts-deep-sea-mineral.html Environment Fri, 10 Feb 2017 08:40:01 EST news405936295 This January scientists from a range of disciplines will come together to undertake the first ever coordinated sampling of the major rivers in Great Britain to look for soil derived organic carbon. This carbon is a large element of our 'natural capital' - in fact it is so large that restoring some damaged elements of it, such as upland peat bogs, could cost up to £570 million over the next 40 years. In recognition of this NERC has commissioned the major new programme, LOCATE (Land Ocean Carbon Transfer). One key early activity is to estimate the loss by sampling thirty rivers once a month for an entire year. https://phys.org/news/2016-12-tracking-uk-carbon-soil-sea.html Environment Mon, 19 Dec 2016 06:01:59 EST news401349708 The first robotic microsub capable of being deployed from a robotic boat was unveiled at the Marine Autonomous and Technology Annual Showcase this November, at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC). https://phys.org/news/2016-11-mini-robot-unveiled-national-oceanography.html Robotics Wed, 30 Nov 2016 08:02:15 EST news399715327 City-sized maps of terrain and life on the sea-floor have revealed that drifts of 'marine snow' on submarine hillsides act as a source of food to fuel a higher biomass of marine life on the hills than on the flatter plains surrounding hills. https://phys.org/news/2016-09-marine-fuels-life-sea-floor.html Earth Sciences Thu, 29 Sep 2016 13:09:53 EDT news394373382 A new study recently published in the journal Global Biogeochemical Cycles offers clues to the potential impact of ocean acidification deep-sea, shell-forming organisms. https://phys.org/news/2016-09-insights-impacts-ocean-acidification.html Environment Wed, 14 Sep 2016 10:13:58 EDT news393066827 Science and industry will now be able to map beaches and sandbanks without getting any feet wet. This follows three years of collaborative research resulting in a new commercial licence between National Oceanography Centre (NOC) and Marlan Maritime Technologies to sell new coastal mapping technology. https://phys.org/news/2016-09-technology-remotely-beaches.html Environment Mon, 05 Sep 2016 11:01:20 EDT news392292068 A unique study by scientists at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) will provide valuable new insights into the concentrations of microplastics in the open ocean from surface to the sea bed. https://phys.org/news/2016-08-microplastics-deep-ocean.html Environment Fri, 26 Aug 2016 08:26:43 EDT news391418777 A new project will use global ocean models to identify the most effective way for low income countries, such as Madagascar, to adapt to climate change. https://phys.org/news/2016-06-ocean-madagascan-climate.html Environment Wed, 08 Jun 2016 09:20:05 EDT news384595021 To investigate why the global warming trend varies from decade to decade, scientists from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) will work alongside those from nine other research organisations as part of a major new multidisciplinary research project. https://phys.org/news/2016-03-global-hiatus.html Earth Sciences Thu, 10 Mar 2016 10:10:01 EST news376826236 The world's first 'real world' deep-water controlled experiment to simulate an emission from a submerged carbon dioxide storage reservoir aims to further verify the safety of offshore carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS). https://phys.org/news/2016-03-ground-breaking-sub-marine-ccs-today.html Environment Tue, 01 Mar 2016 12:40:01 EST news376055971 The GPS signal used for 'sat-navs' could help improve understanding of ocean currents, according to new research published in Geophysical Research Letters by National Oceanography Centre (NOC) scientists, alongside colleagues from the University of Michigan and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://phys.org/news/2016-02-sea-space-gps.html Earth Sciences Mon, 22 Feb 2016 11:48:02 EST news375364073 A fleet of robotic submarines, based at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), head-quartered in in Southampton, have been used to map vulnerable cold-water coral reefs in the deep ocean off southwest England. This data set is being used to inform the management of a new Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) that protects the only area of deep-sea coral habitat in English waters. This MCZ forms part of a national network that is being expanded this week as a second round of designated sites are announced by Defra. https://phys.org/news/2016-01-robot-subs-english-deep-sea-corals.html Environment Tue, 19 Jan 2016 08:40:09 EST news372412374 The first discovery of a new type of hydrothermal vent system in a decade helps explain the long observed disconnect between the theoretical rate at which the Earth's crust is cooling at seafloor spreading ridge flanks, and actual observations. It could also help scientists interpret the evidence for past global climates more accurately. https://phys.org/news/2015-12-mystery-loss-earth-crust.html Earth Sciences Tue, 22 Dec 2015 13:37:14 EST news370013826 A computer model that aims to provide physical information on the Bangladesh delta to policy makers there, has received the 'impact' award from the national super-computing facility, ARCHER. This is the first model to link the open ocean with the limit of tidal interaction in Bangladesh, and has been produced by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) scientist Dr Lucy Bricheno using the ARCHER facility.  https://phys.org/news/2015-12-oceanographers-super-computers-farmers-bangladesh.html Environment Thu, 17 Dec 2015 09:26:19 EST news369566772