US Dept of Commerce NOAA / OAR / PMEL


Tour of PMEL Research Projects

Ocean Environment Research    Coastal and Arctic Research    Ocean Climate Research
Innovative Technology   University/NOAA Partnerships

FOCI    Carbon Dioxide    VENTS    TAO    TMAP    WBC    Tsunami    CFC    Atmospheric Chemistry

TMAP VENTS TAO CURRENTS TSUNAMI CO2 FOCI AEROSOL CFC PMEL Home Page NOAA Home Page

PMEL carries out interdisciplinary scientific investigations in oceanography and marine meteorology. Current PMEL programs focus on coastal and open ocean observations in support of prediction of the ocean environment on time scales from days to decades. Studies are conducted to improve our understanding of the complex physical and geochemical processes operating in the world oceans, to define the forcing functions and the processes driving ocean circulation and the global climate system, and to improve environmental forecasting capabilities and other supporting services for marine commerce and fisheries.



TAO El Niño Research
Implement seasonal to interanual climate forecasts
  • El Niño is a shift in the ocean-atmosphere system in the tropical Pacific
  • El Nino results in climatic changes around the world
  • In the US, El Niño causes:
    Warmer than normal winters in the Northwest
    Above normal rainfall in the Gulf States
    Volitile weather in California
  • Economic impacts can be reduced by improved climate predictions
    An estimated $1.1 billion could be saved in the US agriculture sector
  • Observations of conditions in the tropical Pacific are essential for the
    prediction of seasonal to interannual climate variations.
  • TAO network of moored buoys in the tropical Pacific telemeter data which is
    used by researchers worldwide for climate prediction studies
  • TAO Project Tour


Carbon Dioxide
Predict & assess decadal to centennial change
  • Primary objective is to assess the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and oceans
  • Study the processes controlling air-sea exchange of carbon dioxide (e.g. El Niño)
  • Mechanism is an ocean monitoring program
  • High quality data is required to reduce uncertainty in global carbon prediction
    models
  • Improved predictions will provide decision-makers quantitative information
    necessary for making critical economic decisions regarding greenhouse gases


Chlorofluorocarbon
Tracers
Predict & assess decadal to centennial change
  • Dissolved chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) serve as unique tracers of ocean circulation and mixing processes
  • CFC observations are used to test and evaluate ocean-atmosphere models
  • Improved forecasts will lead to improved prediction of long-term climate variations, such as those that give rise to persistent drought and recurrent flooding


Atmospheric
Chemistry
Predict & assess decadal to centennial change
  • Atmospheric chemistry field measurements are required to understand:
    the distribution of climatically important trace gases (e.g., ozone, methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfides, etc.)
    the distribution of aerosols in the marine atmosphere
    the processes controlling these distributions
  • Goal is to provide decision-makers quantative information required to make critical economic decisions regarding these gases


T-MAP
Predict & assess decadal to centennial change
  • Supports improved ocean and atmospheric forecasts during El Nino and non El Nino periods
  • Understand processes responsible for variations in equatorial sea surface temperature and ocean currents
  • Uses supercomputers and advanced data analysis routines in persuit of this goal
  • Benefits include:


VENTS
Predict & assess decadal to centennial change


FOCI
Build sustainable US fisheries


Tsunami
Advance short-term warnings & forecast services


Western Boundry
Currents
Predict & assess decadal to centennial change
  • Scientists believe that Atlantic Ocean Circulation patterns may be a dominant feature of long-term climate variability
  • A simple, inexpensive technology has been developed to monitor the Florida Current flow using undersea telephone cables
  • Improved climate predictions using these data will enable resource managers in climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, energy and water to adjust strategies to reduce economic vulnerability

Innovative Technology

Innovative technology in software and hardware has been developed in support of PMEL's research projects. Outstanding software and data management capabilities allow scientists to access, view and analyze observational and gridded data, and to work with geograpical information systems. Up-to-date information about PMEL research is available on the World Wide Web, and near-realtime data, analysis products and retrospective climatologies can be previewed and downloaded for further analysis. Perspective on PMEL's research program results is provided by World Wide Web Theme Pages.

PMEL's Engineering Development Division supports PMEL research with innovations in electronics, mechanics, materials, and sofware engineering. PMEL's measurement capabilities in the field and laboratory are enhanced by application of state-of-the-art instruments and systems that integrate observational and measurement technologies.


University/NOAA Partnerships

NOAA has established formal collaborative research agreements with participating universities to form the Joint Institutes. The Joint Institutes combine the resources of universities and NOAA to develop centers of excellence in environmental research.

PMEL complements its research efforts through four cooperative institutes: the Joint Institute for Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean (JISAO), with the University of Washington; the Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (JIMAR), with the University of Hawaii; Cooperative Institute for Arctic Research (CIFAR), with the University of Alaska; and the Cooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies (CIMRS), with Oregon State University.


FOCI   Carbon Dioxide   VENTS    TAO   TMAP   WBC   Tsunami    CFC    Atmospheric Chemistry

Innovative Technology    University/NOAA Partnerships


PMEL Outstanding Scientific Papers   Publication Abstracts   Theme Pages   White Papers   Seminars   Software   On-line Data


PMEL Accomplishments and Plans:
PMEL Home Page