Multimedia Items

Drifter plot and radioactive substance levels plot relating to Fukushima

June 22, 2024

BOTTOM: An international scientific team led by WHOI marine chemist Ken Buesseler completed a research cruise in June 2011 to assess the levels and dispersion of radioactive substances from the […]

DTAG data plot showing whale could dive deeper after disentanglement

Red and blue lines describe the depths of a whale’s dives in work by WHOI-MIT Joint Program graduate student Julie van der Hoop and biologist Michael Moore, director of the […]

Eddy water column profile

Used in Oceanus magazine, Vol. 54, No. 1, pg. 27. (Illustration by Natalie Renier, © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Effects of light penetrating the ocean

Effects of light penetrating the ocean. (Illustration by Jayne Doucette, © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

El Nino

El Niño (Illustration by Jack Cook, © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Eruptions along the North American Plate and Yellowstone hotspot

The North American Plate has slowly moved westward over an active magma chamber, leaving a trail of past eruptions on the landscape. The hot spot now lies beneath Yellowstone Park. […]

First drawn map of the Titanic wreck site

Following the 1985 French-American expedition that discovered the wreck of Titanic, WHOI researchers William Lange, Elazar Uchupi, and Bob Ballard examined all the still and video images captured by deep-sea […]

Biomass of mesopelagic organisms in Ocean Twilight Zone (OTZ)

The ocean twilight zone 200 to 1,000 meters (660 to 3,300 feet) beneath the surface teems with life. Spanning the entire world, its waters are vast, dimly lit, and under […]

Carbon drawn into the ocean by plankton sinks and dissipates with depth

THE BOTTOM LINE—Only a small fraction of the carbon drawn into the ocean by plankton blooms makes it into the depths where it no longer can be exchanged with the […]

Carbon emissions projection featuring possible reduction methods called “wedges”

CLOSING THE GAP—With improvements in technology, but no changes in climate or carbon policies (the so-called “business-as-usual” scenario), carbon emission levels are projected to continue to rise (orange line) far […]

Carbon-14 natural cycle

Carbon-14 natural cycle. (Illustration by Jayne Doucette, © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Chemical process by which phytoplankton and harmful algal blooms grown

Phytoplankton, including harmful algae, need the right combination of ingredients to grow. They need sunlight, which is bright near the surface but gets dimmer with depth. They need nutrients, such […]

Ciguatera Fish Poisoning cycle

Ciguatera fish poisoning cycle. (Illustration by E. Paul Oberlander and Eric S. Taylor, © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

CO Solubility Pump

Solubility Pump: Many different gases dissolve in seawater including oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Solubility of CO2 is strongly dependent on temperature, among other factors. The colder the water, the […]

Comparing carbon loss considering different sunlight penetration depths

Carbon loss traditional measurement at 150 meters compared to carbon loss measurement considering depth of sunlight penetration. (Courtesy of Ken Buesseler, © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Comparison of oil dispersant effectiveness in different weather

A recent study by WHOI scientists Collin Ward and Chris Reddy showed that sunlight plays a critical and previously overlooked role in oil spills. Light energy rapidly alters the chemistry […]

Comparison of radioactivity sources in the ocean

Comparison of radioactivity sources in the ocean. (Illustration by Amy Caracappa-Qubeck, © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Concentration of marine microplastics in the ocean on 2 globe models

Simulated models of how plastics are transported in the global ocean show that most plastics concentrate in the middle of subtropical gyres (left) However, large-scale ocean circulation systems such as […]

Conceptual cross-section view of Yellowstone Lake geothermal dynamics

Millions of visitors marvel at Yellowstones colorful pools, bubbling springs, and steaming geysers. What they may not appreciate is that these features are just a small part of a larger-scale […]

Configuration of tsunami warning pressure sensor system

When a pressure sensor detects a tsunami wave, a modem sends out an underwater sound signal. Sound waves reflect off warm water layers on the surface down to relay stations […]

Coral reef deterioration stages

Coral reef deterioration stages. Healthy corals support healthy marine ecosystems, but corals are in crisis on many fronts. High levels of carbon dioxide are warming ocean waters and causing them […]

Cross-section of an anticyclonic eddy, warm core ring used for food sourcing

Sharks and other large predators may be using swirling pockets of unusually warm water to access food in the ocean twilight zone. In a recent study, researchers from WHOI and […]