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NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program Research Region

Region: Mid-Atlantic

Related Posts

See news related to this Research Region

Understanding Anthropogenic Impacts on pH and Aragonite Saturation State in Chesapeake Bay: Insights From a 30-Year Model Study

Ocean acidification (OA) is often defined as the gradual decline in pH and aragonite saturation state (ΩAr) for open ocean waters as a result of increasing atmospheric pCO2. Potential long-term trends in pH and ΩAr in estuarine environments are often obscured by a variety of other factors, including changes in watershed land use and associated riverine carbonate

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November 6, 2024

Alkalinity in Tidal Tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay

Alkalinity, which is the capacity of a water body to neutralize acid, is a useful quantity when studying the cycling of carbon in water bodies, including estuaries. Here we analyze alkalinity measurements in tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. Average alkalinity levels in the freshest parts of the estuaries varied by sixfold among seven tidal

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November 6, 2024

Estuarine Forecasts at Daily Weather to Subseasonal Time Scales

This paper evaluates a suite of forecasts for Chesapeake Bay water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen created using a numerical model. By comparing the model forecasts with observations, we show that the model forecasts for temperature and salinity are more accurate than reference forecasts of previously observed conditions or the long-term mean; in other words,

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November 6, 2024

Evaluation of a New Carbon Dioxide System for Autonomous Surface Vehicles

The research evaluates a new Autonomous Surface Vehicle CO2 (ASVCO2) system designed to improve carbon measurement in the ocean, addressing gaps in current strategies that hinder understanding of the carbon biogeochemical cycle. Deployed from 2011 to 2018, the ASVCO2 systems demonstrated their capability for long-term oceanic deployment and accurate collection of air and seawater pCO2

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November 6, 2024

Environmentally-determined production frontiers and lease utilization in Virginia’s eastern oyster aquaculture industry

During the last decade, oyster aquaculture has rebounded in Virginia and has been associated with an increase in subaqueous leased area. Production levels remain historically low, however, and many leases are thought to be underutilized. This study uses a novel approach leveraging high-resolution environmental data to evaluate lease utilization and identify constraints on aquaculture development.

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October 11, 2024

The source and accumulation of anthropogenic carbon in the U.S. East Coast

The ocean has absorbed anthropogenic carbon dioxide (Canthro) from the atmosphere and played an important role in mitigating global warming. However, how much Canthro is accumulated in coastal oceans and where it comes from have rarely been addressed with observational data. Here, we use a high-quality carbonate dataset (1996–2018) in the U.S. East Coast to address

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August 13, 2024

The Mid-Atlantic Bight Dissolved Inorganic Carbon System Observed in the March 1996 DOE Ocean Margins Program (OMP)—A Baseline Study

The United States Department of Energy (DOE)’s Ocean Margins Program (OMP) cruise EN279 in March 1996 provides an important baseline for assessing long-term changes in the carbon cycle and biogeochemistry in the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) as climate and anthropogenic changes have been substantial in this region over the past two decades. The distributions of O2,

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August 13, 2024

Real-time environmental forecasts of the Chesapeake Bay: Model setup, improvements, and online visualization

Daily real-time nowcasts (current conditions) and 2-day forecasts of environmental conditions in the Chesapeake Bay have been continuously available for 4 years. The forecasts use a 3-D hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model with 1–2 km resolution and 3-D output every 6 h that includes salinity, water temperature, pH, aragonite saturation state, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, and hypoxic volume. Visualizations of the forecasts are available through

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August 12, 2024

Climatological distribution of ocean acidification variables along the North American ocean margins

Climatologies that depict mean fields of oceanographic variables on a regular geographic grid, and atlases play pivotal roles in comprehending the societal vulnerabilities linked to ocean acidification (OA). This significance is particularly pronounced in coastal regions where most economic activities occur. This work provides a comprehensive data product featuring 10 coastal ocean acidification climatologies and

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August 9, 2024

Resilience of Black Sea Bass Embryos to Increased Levels of Carbon Dioxide

After a decade of research on how embryonic fish will respond to the increased dissolved carbon dioxide (ρCO2) levels predicted for the next century, no uniform response to near future acidification has been observed among marine species. We exposed Black Sea Bass Centropristis striata (BSB) embryos to varied levels of ρCO2 (microatmospheres [μatm]) for 48 h during seasonal experiments

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August 7, 2024

Related Projects

See our funded projects for this Focus Area

NOAA ship in background during the West Coast Ocean Acidification research cruise with a mooring measuring ocean chemistry in the foreground. Credit: NOAA
Optimizing the ocean acidification observing system in California
  • PI(s): Christopher Edwards, University of California, Santa Cruz
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2019, 2020, 2021
This project specifically investigates how the observing network is contributing to forecasting models using these complex tools to estimate ocean acidification conditions throughout the central California Current System...
Project Summary >
Map of SOCAT (v1.5) surface fCO2 values released on September 14, 2011. Credit: NOAA PMEL
Optimizing Global Observations of Carbon Dioxide in the Surface Ocean Using Machine Learning
  • PI(s): Galen A. McKinley, Columbia University
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2025, 2026, 2027
This work will assess how we can optimize observing resources from the global fleet to support improved, efficient, and cost-effective monitoring of the ocean carbon sink and minimize uncertainty. Researchers..
Project Summary >
A glider equipped with sensors measuring ocean conditions and ocean chemistry is deployed off a ship. Credit: NOAA PMEL
Delivering ocean acidification products and observing system assessment for the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem
  • PI(s): Christopher A. Edwards, University of California Santa Cruz
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2025, 2026, 2027
  • Grant Award # NA24OARX017G0021-T1-01
This project delivers products and an assessment of observing with the glider network for the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem...
Project Summary >
Lake Superior as seen from space in fall. Orange and red colors are from fall foliage. Credit: NOAA GLERL CoastWatch node
Measurement and Modeling of Processes Controlling acidification in the Great Lakes
  • PI(s): Noel Urban, Michigan Technological University
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2025, 2026, 2027
  • Grant Award # NA24OARX017G0022-T1-01
The project increases new monitoring and modeling capacity in the Great Lakes to assess the extent of acidification or potential future acidification...
Project Summary >
Calm sea with mountains on horizon and expansive sky in Ketchikan, Alaska. Credit: Phil Price, Flickr
Building Capacity for Alaskan Tribes
  • PI(s): Spencer Weinstein
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2023
This Alaska Sea Grant project increases ocean acidification monitoring capacity and assess vulnerability of Alaskan Tribes to ocean acidification...
Project Summary >
Spruce Island in the Kodiak region of Alaska. Bull kelp at water's surface with island in the background. Ocean acidification monitoring in this region helps prepare Kodiak Tribes for the impacts of ocean change. Credit: NOAA
Supporting Tribal Ocean Acidification Monitoring Programs
  • PI(s): Jake Cohen
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2023
This work will identify specific ocean acidification monitoring and support needs by Kodiak Tribes,. Additionally, it supports the career development of an Alaska Sea Grant fellow and increase capacity in..
Project Summary >

Related Publications

See publications produced by our funded projects for this Focus Area

Carbon cycling in the North American coastal ocean: a synthesis
  • Katja Fennel, Simone Alin, Leticia Barbero, Wiley Evans, Timothée Bourgeois, Sarah Cooley, John Dunne, Richard A. Feely, Jose Martin Hernandez-Ayon, Xinping Hu, Steven Lohrenz, Frank Muller-Karger, Raymond Najjar, Lisa Robbins, Elizabeth Shadwick, Samantha Siedlecki, Nadja Steiner, Adrienne Sutton, Daniela Turk, Penny Vlahos, Zhaohui Aleck Wang
  • Biogeosciences
  • March 27, 2019
Citation: Fennel, K., Alin, S., Barbero, L., Evans, W., Bourgeois, T., Cooley, S., Dunne, J., Feely, R. A., Hernandez-Ayon, J. M., Hu, X., Lohrenz, S., Muller-Karger, F., Najjar, R., Robbins, L., Shadwick, E., Siedlecki, S., Steiner, N., Sutton, A., Turk, D., Vlahos, P., and Wang, Z. A.: Carbon cycling in the North American coastal ocean: a synthesis, Biogeosciences, 16, 1281–1304, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1281-2019, 2019.
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Eco-physiological responses of copepods and pteropods to ocean warming and acidification
  • J. Engström-Öst, O. Glippa, R. A. Feely, M. Kanerva, J. E. Keister, S. R. Alin, B. R. Carter, A. K. McLaskey, K. A. Vuori & N. Bednaršek
  • Scientific Reports
  • March 18, 2019
Citation: Engström-Öst, J., Glippa, O., Feely, R.A. et al. Eco-physiological responses of copepods and pteropods to ocean warming and acidification. Sci Rep 9, 4748 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-41213-1
Read Summary >
Time of Detection as a Metric for Prioritizing Between Climate Observation Quality, Frequency, and Duration
  • B. R. Carter, N. L. Williams, W. Evans, A. J. Fassbender, L. Barbero, C. Hauri, R. A. Feely, A. J. Sutton
  • Geophysical Research Letters
  • March 13, 2019
Citation: Carter, B. R., Williams, N. L., Evans, W., Fassbender, A. J., Barbero, L., Hauri, C., et al. (2019). Time of detection as a metric for prioritizing between climate observation quality, frequency, and duration. Geophysical Research Letters, 46, 3853–3861. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080773
Read Summary >
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ADAPTING TO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

The NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) works to prepare society to adapt to the consequences of ocean acidification and conserve marine ecosystems as acidification occurs. Learn more about the human connections and adaptation strategies from these efforts.

Adaptation approaches fostered by the OAP include:

FORECASTING

Using models and research to understand the sensitivity of organisms and ecosystems to ocean acidification to make predictions about the future, allowing communities and industries to prepare

MANAGEMENT

Using these models and predictions as tools to facilitate management strategies that will protect marine resources and communities from future changes

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Developing innovative tools to help monitor ocean acidification and mitigate changing ocean chemistry locally

REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

50 more ways to reduce your carbon footprint >

On the Road

Drive fuel-efficient vehicles or choose public transportation. Choose your bike or walk! Don't sit idle for more than 30 seconds. Keep your tires properly inflated.

With your Food Choices

Eat local- this helps cut down on production and transport! Reduce your meat and dairy. Compost to avoid food waste ending up in the landfill

With your Food Choices

Make energy-efficient choices for your appliances and lighting. Heat and cool efficiently! Change your air filters and program your thermostat, seal and insulate your home, and support clean energy sources

By Reducing Coastal Acidification

Reduce your use of fertilizers, Improve sewage treatment and run off, and Protect and restore coastal habitats

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TAKE ACTION WITH YOUR COMMUNITY

You've taken the first step to learn more about ocean acidification - why not spread this knowledge to your community?

Every community has their unique culture, economy and ecology and what’s at stake from ocean acidification may be different depending on where you live.  As a community member, you can take a larger role in educating the public about ocean acidification. Creating awareness is the first step to taking action.  As communities gain traction, neighboring regions that share marine resources can build larger coalitions to address ocean acidification.  Here are some ideas to get started:

  1. Work with informal educators, such as aquarium outreach programs and local non-profits, to teach the public about ocean acidification. Visit our Education & Outreach page to find the newest tools!
  2. Participate in habitat restoration efforts to restore habitats that help mitigate the effects of coastal acidification
  3. Facilitate conversations with local businesses that might be affected by ocean acidification, building a plan for the future.
  4. Partner with local community efforts to mitigate the driver behind ocean acidification  – excess CO2 – such as community supported agriculture, bike & car shares and other public transportation options.
  5. Contact your regional Coastal Acidification Network (CAN) to learn how OA is affecting your region and more ideas about how you can get involved in your community
       More for Taking Community Action