IOOS: Integrated Ocean Observing System Essay

As more of the sun’s energy is retained by increasing greenhouse gases, the earth’s oceans are heating up. This can be seen by an increase in average water temperature and warm water anomalies (water temperature over the average).

The combination of these and other trends was an estimated average sea-level increase of 1.5mm per year between 1961 and 2003, which reached 2.4mm per year in the decade from 1993 to 2003. The decades prior to this trend showed only minor fluctuations in sea-level, suggesting that the current rate exceeds what could be caused by natural cycles. While the exact impact of rising oceans is difficult to determine, it is certain that the consequences will include some degree of flooding, integration of salt water into water tables, and a loss of land due to coastal erosion and submersion.6

In 2004 The US Ocean Commission proposed several critical recommendations to address the health and management of our oceans. These recommendations range from better organization of current management offices to education of the public on issues pertaining to oceans and coastal areas. The importance of healthy oceans, waterways, and coastal areas cannot be denied. As humans we rely on these areas for food, fuel, materials for various products, and recreation just to name a few. Aside from the human aspect the health of the earth’s oceans is also bound to the air and land. Many other creatures throughout the world depend on a harmonious balance of the human species with the waters that surrounds us. The sooner we can find equilibrium with

Since the 1950s, the amount of heat stored in the ocean has significantly increased. Ocean heat content determines sea surface temperature, it also affects sea level and currents. An overall average of the world’s oceans. Since 1880 sea level has risen at a rate of roughly six-tenths of an inch per decade. In recent years, the rate of increase has increased more rapidly to more than an inch per decade. Sea level has risen the most with an increase of more than 8 inches between 1960 and 2015, along parts of the Gulf coast and the Mid-Atlantic coast. However, sea level has decreased relative to the land in parts of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

The very nature of our ocean is to rise and fall, to sway with the pull of the moon, and to churn violently as the winds howl. The ocean has been this way since its inception and it will continue to do so as the arrow of time marches on. There have been cycles in which the nature of the ocean has wavered, but an equilibrium is kept, and life adapts. However, in our grotesque folly, we have decided that this should no longer be the case. We have changed the nature of our oceans so suddenly that life is crushed by force exerted through this change. Temperatures rise without regard to ecosystem or environment. Glaciers sweat profusely from the bombardment of heat. Sea levels rise. The importance of the oceans to the world at large cannot be understated.

After reading “Walking on Water” by Derrick Jenson, I became more aware of my life, in the sense that I need to take advantage of the remaining time I have left on earth doing something that I not only love, but is helpful to people surrounding me and our environment. With this new found inspiration, I feel that my “good work” can be found in data analysis with in marine biology. Many people today are so focused on the problems of today’s atmosphere and global warming that no one is paying attention to the problems arising in the oceans. Oceans are becoming too high in acidification and marine life is beginning to plummet. Given this information, I can apply my skills of creativity, ambition, persistence, and ocean/ earth systems knowledge.

It has been observed through various researches that in the last century, average temperatures across the globe increased by over 1.3°F with an increase of more than two times in the Arctic. (Bates, Kundzewicz, Wu, & Palutikof, June 2008). The results of climate change can also be seen in changing precipitation patterns, increases in ocean temperatures, changes in the sea level, and acidity and melting of glaciers and sea ice (USEPA, 2014).

Climate change has been discussed since the end of the 19th century, but scientists did not begin to take notice until studies began linking smog and pollution to dangerous increases in carbon dioxide which together have a “greenhouse effect” on the climate of the earth. Measurement of ocean temperatures supported these studies and created more concern for man-made disruption of the

The ocean is the globe's largest ecosystem that sustains both economic revenue and food. Humans have contributed to fundamental changes in the ocean. It is important to understand how human activities have affected ocean productivity, ecosystems and physical aspects, and how these changes potentially influence human civilization in the future.

One important direct precursors that lead to the rise in sea levels include the emissions of greenhouse gases that lead to warmer temperatures (Gornitz et al., 2004). These changes in temperature can result in devastating effects on ecosystems and their inhabitants (Gornitz et al., 2004). It is also important to mention that the temperature in Connecticut has been gradually warming, and reports indicate that the temperature increase is much greater than the increase in the other parts of New England (Gornitz et al., 2004). On the other hand, an indirect precursor that can lead to the rise in sea levels include land use, topography, and land cover that can account for the changeability in temperature. For example, the increase cutting down

The ocean has shaped our earth for thousands of years. The waves shape the physical land and shorelines. The water absorbs heat and regulates temperatures. It houses many difference species of life and provides food and industry to millions. The ocean even changes our atmosphere as it absorbs CO², among other gases and emits Oxygen. Even the ocean’s crust slowly increases the diameter of the earth as it grows. Much of the ocean is still unexplored, meaning there is still much to learn and discover. It is important for everyone to understand the importance of the ocean to be able to make educated decisions about our future. Ocean literacy is understanding and trying to teach these principles to others.

More than half of the people on earth live within 120 miles of the ocean (Handwerk). The human race depends on the ocean for income and food. It is imperative to preserve it by continuing the practice of ocean cleanup. This paper will be providing reasons for ocean cleanup such as: the creatures that dwell in the sea, what the ocean does for the human race, and how the ocean relates directly to climate change.

Oceans are a prominent feature of earth’s environment, containing ninety-seven percent of the earth’s water 1.332 billion cubic kilometres (M.A. Charette and W.H.F. Smith., 2010,) which spans over almost three-quarters of the planet. Due to the variance of ocean sizes, the processes occurring in them vary greatly as well. Oceans are defined by borders that separate them or limits, the most basic being continental shelves that define where oceanic crust forms. There are currently five recognised oceans; the Pacific; Atlantic; Indian; Southern and the Arctic oceans. All of these oceans are connected to each other in some way and go on to categorise the world ocean which makes up the bulk of the hydrosphere. The oceans store huge quantities

Science shows that human influence extends beyond average temperature increase to other aspects of the climate. These influences have contributed to changes in wind patterns affecting tropical storm temperature and patterns, increased the risk of heat waves, contributed to sea level rise during the late 1900’s, increased the frequency of heavy precipitation events, and variations in winter and summer night and day temperatures. Due to these and other climatic changes the warming has been discovered to be greatest over land and at most high northern latitudes. The reduction of snow covered areas, and the decrease of sea ice extent is also a major indicator of climate change. Arctic late summer sea ice disappears almost in its entirety during warmer summer months creating a

The climate models are deficient in simulating the seasonal cycle of the ocean ML. Some