Trump administration ends ocean monitoring system
The National Science Foundation announced plans to scale back a major ocean-monitoring network that scientists have relied on for more than a decade to track greenhouse gases, ocean temperatures, marine heat waves, and coastal flooding.
TL;DR
- The National Science Foundation is reducing support for the Ocean Observatories Initiative.
- This network has been used for over a decade to monitor greenhouse gases, ocean temperatures, marine heat waves, and coastal flooding.
- The NSF cites a strategy to prioritize evolving scientific priorities and manage research infrastructure lifecycles.
- The $368 million system includes deep-ocean sensors deployed in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
- Infrastructure in the Irminger Sea, Endurance Array, Pioneer Array, and Station Papa Array will be phased out over approximately 15 months.
- Recovery operations have already begun at the Endurance Array off the Pacific Northwest coast.