FY 2020

Open ocean region acidification research

Feely, R.A., S. Alin, B. Carter, J.P. Dunne, D.K. Gledhill, L. Jiang, V. Lance, C. Stepien, A. Sutton, and R. Wanninkhof

Chapter 2 in NOAA Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Acidification Research Plan: 2020-2029, Jewett, E.B., E.B. Osborne, K.M. Arzayus, K. Osgood, B.J. DeAngelo, and J.M. Mintz (eds.), https://oceanacidification.noaa.gov/ResearchPlan2020 (2020)

The primary goals of the open ocean research plan are to determine how anthropogenic carbon and pH changes interact with natural variability to collectively act on ocean carbonate chemistry and biology, and to continue to support and enhance the NOAA contribution to the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) with new sensors, autonomous platforms, and biological measurements to be co-located with the physical and chemical studies. The observations will be utilized to validate models and calibrate satellite data synthesis products. Global maps and data synthesis products will be developed to provide information for national and international policy and adaptive actions, food security, fisheries and aquaculture practices, protection of coral reefs, shore protection, cultural identity, and tourism. The Open Ocean Region’s research goals are to:

Maintain existing observations and continue developing and deploying autonomous vehicles and biogeochemical (BGC) Argo floats to measure surface and water column carbon parameters, nutrients, and other Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs);

Conduct biological sampling (e.g., Bongo net tows) during GO-SHIP cruises to determine the biological impacts of OA and other stressors on planktonic communities;

Develop data management systems and synthesis products including visualizations of key chemical and biological parameters to quantify anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) buildup, rates of change of global ocean OA conditions, and biological rate processes; and

Support data synthesis activities to provide validation of biogeochemical models.