Topic Page

Corals

February 6, 2019

Many people think of coral as hard, rock-like formations that attract abundant, diverse marine life. In fact, corals are tiny marine animals called polyps that live together in colonies.

AMOC—The Atlantic Ocean’s conveyor belt

Today’s climate system is influenced by the ocean’s conveyor-like global circulation.

El Niño & Other Oscillations

sea surface temperature during El Niño (left) and La Niña (right) episodes

El Niño is a warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, while La Niña is a cooling event.

Currents, Gyres, & Eddies

At the surface and beneath, currents, gyres and eddies physically shape the coasts and ocean bottom.

Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidification is a reduction in the pH of the ocean over an extended period of time, caused primarily by an increase of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Carbon Cycle

Carbon is the building block of life on Earth and has a powerful impact on the planet’s climate.

Biogeochemistry studies the cycles of crucial elements, such as carbon and nitrogen, and their interactions with other substances and organisms as they move through Earth’s atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere.

Underwater Volcanoes

These eruptions of molten rock and ash can be destructive to human settlements, but vitally creative for the rest of the planet.

Harmful Algae & Red Tides

Tiny plants pose a potent threat to those who live in and eat from the sea.

Tsunamis

A tsunami is a massive, fast-moving wave created by an underwater earthquake or landslide. Displaced ocean water creates waves with speeds of up to 500 miles per hour.

Hurricanes

Hurricanes are large rotating tropical storms with winds in excess of 119 kilometers per hour. They usually form in the Atlantic Ocean but can develop in other oceans as well.

Earthquakes

An earthquake is a shaking of the ground that occurs when two large blocks of Earth’s crust slip suddenly past one another.

Rivers, Estuaries, & Deltas

Rivers, estuaries, and deltas are key to understanding the chemical structure of seawater, and are home to some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems.

Coastal Ecosystems

The narrow region where land and ocean meet includes salt marshes, mangroves, wetlands, estuaries, reefs, and bays often linked in a network of physical, chemical, and biological interchanges.

Changing Shorelines & Erosion

Waves, currents, wind, storms, and tides form complex interactions over time to cause erosion along some stretches of shoreline and growth in others.

Water Cycle

The water cycle describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth.

Sea Level Rise

Sea level rise is expected to continue for centuries and may impact human and the natural environment.

Paleoclimatology

Understanding how climate naturally varied over thousands and millions of years teaches us how Earth’s climate system works and sheds light on current, human-induced changes.