Ocean’s Role in Climate Regulation: The Unanswered Questions
The ocean plays a crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate, but despite its importance, there are still many unanswered questions about its processes. Recently, five global science and technology projects were selected to join the Ocean Biogeochemistry Virtual Institute (OBVI) to address the gaps in ocean data and modeling.
The ocean’s role in climate regulation is still not fully understood.
The OBVI, in collaboration with Schmidt Ocean Institute, received 117 expressions of interest from 48 countries, and after a rigorous two-stage submission process, the five selected teams will form the inaugural membership of OBVI, receiving financial support from Schmidt Sciences and access to Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor.
“The ocean has absorbed and stored nearly one-third of the carbon dioxide that humans have emitted over the last century,” said Lexa Skrivanek, OBVI program lead at Schmidt Sciences. “The question of whether it can continue to do so at the same rate is one of the most critical ones we face today.”
The five projects, led by researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, University of Cape Town, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, University of Rhode Island, University of Ghana, and University of Washington, will focus on various aspects of ocean biogeochemistry, including the integration of models and observations across scales, oxygen and biogeochemical dynamics along the west African margin, ocean margins, subtropical underwater biogeochemistry, and the role of animal gut microbiomes in shaping oceanic carbon cycling and export.
The research vessel Falkor will provide expert shipboard assistance to the selected teams.
Through this research, the teams aim to develop accurate modeling across ocean systems to address ocean processes in climate projections and mitigation. The OBVI has committed $45 million to fund their research over the next five years.
As the ocean continues to play a vital role in regulating Earth’s climate, it is essential that we continue to support research that helps us better understand its processes and how we can mitigate the effects of climate change.
The ocean’s role in regulating Earth’s climate is crucial, and it is essential that we continue to support research in this area.
By supporting research initiatives like OBVI, we can work towards a better understanding of the ocean’s role in climate regulation and take steps towards mitigating the effects of climate change.
