| Author/s (Presenter in bold) | Title | Key Words | Abstract |
| A.J. Plueddemann and D. Buffitt | The OOI Pioneer MAB Array | Pioneer Array, infrastructure, moorings, gliders, AUVs | The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) completed the successful relocation of the Pioneer Array to the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) in the spring of 2024. The Pioneer MAB Array consists of a mooring array supplemented by glider and AUV transects designed to resolve key processes in a region of complex oceanographic dynamics, intermittent mesoscale variability, and enhanced biological productivity. The backbone of the Pioneer Array is a T-shaped moored array located off the coast of Nags Head, North Carolina, starting ~25 km offshore and extending ~50 km east/west and ~50 km north/south across the continental shelf, centered near the shelf-break front. Three surface moorings and seven profiler moorings occupy the array. Each surface mooring incorporates an instrumented surface buoy plus near-surface and near-bottom sensor packages. Five profiler moorings support wire-following profiling packages with a multidisciplinary sensor suite. Two shallow-water profiler moorings support a wave-powered profiler capable of sampling to within a few meters of the air-sea interface. The ten moorings occupy seven sites; three sites contain both a surface mooring and a profiler mooring. In order to sample spatial variability of the outer continental shelf, shelf break region, and continental slope, the moored array is supplemented by six mobile platforms – four Coastal Gliders and two AUVs. The gliders fly transects along and across the shelf, and also monitor the mesoscale field of the slope sea. The AUVs provide synoptic across- and along-front transects. |
| Harvey Seim, C. Edwards, V. Nguyen | Southern Mid-Atlantic Bight conditions observed with shelf gliders during the PEACH project during 2017-2018 | Southern Mid-Atlantic Bight, water masses, optical properties | The NSF-funded PEACH project studied shelf-open ocean exchange near Cape Hatteras, where the Gulf Stream separates from the continental shelf to become a free jet, and where shelf flows from the Mid-Atlantic (MAB) and South Atlantic Bights (SAB) converge. Over 2017-2018 nine shelf glider missions lasting more than 20 days were conducted, measuring temperature, salinity and pressure on all missions, and chlorophyll-a (chla) florescence, optical backscatter, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) florescence on all but two missions. Eight missions sampled in the southern MAB, operating in the region of the OOI Pioneer Array between the 20-60m isobaths, allowing examination of water mass properties, their variability, and their association with measured optical properties. All missions observed waters of MAB and SAB or Gulf Stream origin (difficult to distinguish based solely on temperature and salinity) on the southern MAB shelf. Gulf Stream or SAB waters were often intrusions within MAB waters, but the nature of these intrusions varied widely. Both MAB and SAB waters seasonal variability was reasonably well captured by the climatology of Savidge et al. (2013) though a fresher water mass was seen in several of the missions that likely reflects either the ‘Virginia coastal waters’ of Flagg et al (2002) or outflow from the Albemarle/Pamlico Estuarine System (APES) through Oregon Inlet. Strong southward wind events led to gliders deployed in the MAB being advected into the SAB, along with MAB waters, on several occasions. High CDOM was typically associated with low salinity, implying a nearshore source, whereas high chla was associated with either MAB waters or waters along a mixing line between MAB and SAB waters. On several missions chla was ‘spikey’, suggestive of colonial forms, and maximum concentrations were observed near the seafloor. Backscatter was prone to saturation, presumably due to sediment resuspension associated with strong wind/wave forcing. |
| Donglai Gong, MARACOOS collaboration | Glider observations in the Southern MAB and implications for OOI PIONEER | Glider observation, submarine canyon, MAB climate change, MAB shelf, shelf-slope exchange | Glider observations on the southern MAB shelf and shelfbreak since 2013 as part of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS) glider program has explored a number of regional oceanographic features such as submarine canyons, shelfbreak front, slope water intrusion, the MAB cold pool, and shelfwater export. These observations have helped to inform us about both the spatial and temporal variability of the dominant oceanographic processes in the region, as well as understanding the drivers of change on synoptic to interannual time scale. In particular, the large-scale along-shelf transport of shelf water, the cross-shelf-slope exchange facilitated by wind and submarine canyons, and the offshore Gulf Stream impact appear to be some of the dominant physical drivers of southern MAB oceanography. These processes overlayed on top of climate change in the MAB waters on the decadal time scale means the southern MAB and its ecosystem is rapidly changing due to external pressures. Long term multi-disciplinary observations in the region at high spatial and temporal scales are necessary for assessing and understanding the impact of these changes. |
| Magdalena Andres; R. Hudak | Pioneer-adjacent CPIESs: Characterizing variability at high temporal resolution for long duration on the continental slope of the Southern Mid-Atlantic Bight | CPIESs, Gulf Stream, shelf/ocean exchange, bottom pressure, acoustic travel time, currents | On the continental slope adjacent to the southern Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) shelf northeast of Cape Hatteras, the Gulf Stream–the North Atlantic subtropical western boundary current–separates from the continental margin and flows into the open ocean. The separating Gulf Stream can impact shelf/ocean exchange processes. As part of a National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Ocean Sciences (OCE)-funded RAPID project, two current- and pressure-sensor-equipped inverted echo sounders (CPIESs) were deployed on the 1000 m isobath in June 2024 at sites near the offshore edge of the relocated Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Coastal Pioneer Array. The CPIESs will remain on site for 4-year duration and are equipped with Popup Data Shuttles (PDSs) that can return batches of data via satellite link at regular intervals throughout the deployment. The PDS-CPIESs are providing complementary observations for the Pioneer Array measurements and a robust data pathway has been established to share the batches of CPIES observations broadly with the research community and other stakeholders as soon as they are available after download via satellite. The first batch of data was returned on September 1, 2024. |
| Teresa Updyke, H. Seim, P. Taylor | Surface current observations at the Southern Mid-Atlantic Bight Coastal Pioneer Array | Surface currents, high frequency radar | High frequency radar (HFR) stations along the North Carolina and Virginia coasts provide continuous observations of ocean surface currents in the area of the Southern Mid-Atlantic Bight Coastal Pioneer Array. Radial currents from individual stations are mapped onto a 6-kilometer spaced grid and the hourly maps are made available in near real-time for applications such as search and rescue operations, spill response, ocean modeling and navigation. The measurements can be used to study the area’s complex circulation and coastal transport processes in support of the four research themes identified for the Pioneer array. HFRs have monitored coastal currents offshore of the Outer Banks since 2003. The historical data set can provide context for new research and contributes a record of the movement of the position of the edge of the Gulf Stream off of Cape Hatteras. |
| Cassandre Stymiest, Executive Director, Educational Passages; Sarah Nickford, Sea Grant Knauss Fellow, NOAA National Sea Grant College Program; Wayne Pavalko, Owner, WRG LLC | Skimming the surface of possibilities: Synergies between the Miniboat Program and OOI | Education, sea surface temperature | Since 2008, miniboats have been traversing the world’s ocean, contributing to the understanding of the ocean environment. Recent advancements have also led to the integration of sensor packages on some miniboats, particularly the newer models, enabling the collection of additional environmental parameters such as air and water temperature. These data streams hold significant potential for enhancing scientific research by providing granular insights into oceanic and atmospheric conditions. Our work explores the unique contributions that the Educational Passages Miniboat Program can provide to ocean science, particularly in its synergies with the NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). By incorporating miniboats into the broader OOI framework, we aim to assess how these small, cost-effective vessels can complement large-scale ocean monitoring systems. Additionally, our work underscores the importance of engaging students in hands-on scientific inquiry to encourage related career pathways. By involving students in the construction and customization of miniboats as well as the installation of sensors, we provide an educational platform that bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world scientific exploration. Our findings suggest that the data collected by miniboats not only enriches the existing datasets of large oceanographic projects but also fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of ocean sciences among students. This synergistic approach has the potential to enhance both educational outcomes and scientific research, offering a novel method for integrating education with ongoing oceanographic studies, particularly that of the relocation of the Pioneer Array to the Mid Atlantic Bight in 2024. |
| Denise Bristol, A. Pfeiffer-Herbert and J. Olney | Using authentic OOI data to change 2YC students’ perceptions and data literacy | Data literacy, OOI data, Community College Students, Education | Students enter Community Colleges (2YCs) with varying backgrounds and often representing under-prepared student populations in skill sets and confidence in language, math, science questioning, critical thinking, data analysis, and the ability to synthesize or apply concepts. Many students may lack any introduction to authentic data sets which have outliers, gaps, messy trends or visualizations that are discipline specific. However, the importance of data literacy is increasingly critical for success in both STEM careers as well as a science-informed citizenry. Students new to working with complex data need to be guided through structured methods of examining and making sense of the data. We introduced 2YC introductory non-STEM undergraduate students in online classes to large Ocean Observatories data sets from the Ocean Data Lab Manual. The activities use a scaffolded learning cycle approach where data literacy skills and scientific concepts are incrementally introduced within the activity, meeting the users’ needs by placing information into relevant contexts, self-checking knowledge throughout the activities and promoting self-directed discovery in an effort to reach student populations with a wide range of prior experience. This study evaluated 2YC introductory oceanography student’s basic data literacy skills and how this approach influenced students’ understanding and perceptions of authentic ‘big data’ visualizations. |
| Anna Pfeiffer-Herbert, D. Bristol, C.S. Lictenwalner, J. McDonnell | The OOI Data Lab Manual: Using large ocean observatory data to improve data literacy in multi-modal undergraduate courses | Education, data literacy, oceanography curriculum | Undergraduate students need opportunities to build effective data literacy skills and to transition from working with small self-collected data to large professionally collected datasets. One source of authentic, professional data for college classrooms is the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), which uses cutting-edge technology to stream and archive large volumes of data from unique coastal, seafloor, and open ocean settings. However, many college instructors face challenges accessing these real-world datasets, as well as finding time to create effective activities for their students with these data. The OOI Data Lab Manual provides a scaffolded resource for introductory oceanography courses, with an emphasis on developing skills in engaging with and drawing meaning from professional scientific data visualizations. |
| A. Drewes, K. Browne, G. Smalley (Rider Univ.), and S. Lichtenwalner (Rutgers Univ.). | Guiding students to use evidence to support their scientific reasoning: Research results | Ocean education, data literacy, learning science research | Undergraduate science courses for non-STEM students can be the last opportunity of formal science education for many people. In these courses, students can improve their scientific reasoning if it is effectively integrated into learning experiences. This project seeks to fill a gap in the knowledge base by exploring the impact of instruction using an explanatory framework in introductory oceanography courses. Our focus has been on the interactions of data literacy and scientific reasoning skills to improve evidence-supported scientific explanations constructed by undergraduates. |
| John Park | Self-adaptive digital twin-based active climate learning | digital twin, online machine learning, active learning, climate | Traditional climate models train data precisely and implement it according to the fit principle without addressing dynamics and uncertainties. In addition, heterogeneous time-serial data limits transferring parameters to different locations. This project introduces a new online machine-learning approach to the ocean community. The knowledge discovery of heterogeneity observed environmental and unobserved (unmeasured) variables will improve the prediction accuracy. Graphical deep learning will integrate multimodal sensory sources of image and in-situ sampling by systematically reducing uncertainties. The poster will present a prototype for active sensing of Hurricane eyes funded by NSF CISE Information and Intelligent Systems and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and application to Pioneer MAB. Digital Twin will extract the interdependencies between forecasting Hurricane intensity and flooding, efficiently approximate posterior, and rapidly re-optimize data acquisition. The prior work will show how online updates from sUAS-collected meteorological data would benefit hurricane intensity forecasting, considering the temporal variation of uncertainty. Unobserved heterogeneity and randomness of the data have shown multiple modes of probability distribution in each location. A huge collection of multiple sources of granular microscopic data in each location may result in the loss of multivariate information if not retrieved properly. It is important to quantify the uncertainty of prior belief and update posterior when critical observations are obtained. However, traditional entropy theory cannot handle i) sequential learning multimodal multivariate information, ii) dynamic spatiotemporal correlation, and iii) the importance of observation for posterior approximation. In this paper, we advance autonomous in-situ sensing under highly uncertain and turbulent flow, analyzing the similarities between the different types of mixture distributions and allocating a cluster to each group across high dimensional time and space. Extensive experiments on hurricane ensemble forecasting data demonstrate the superior performance of our method over state-of-the-art baselines across various settings. |
| Meng XIA; Miaohua MAO; Xinyi KANG; Katherine FITZENREITER; Nishat F NIMNI; Haoran LIU; Lauren A. KITTELL-PORTER; Bishnupriya SAHOO; Anna WARGULA; | Developing a modeling and observational system to a shallow lagoon system | Lagoon, Model, Observation | The Maryland Coastal Bays (MCBs) system is a very shallow estuarine system with an average depth of 1m, and housed by two inlets, with Ocean City Inlet (OCI) and Chincoteague Inlet (CI). The circulation in this system is significant to material transports (e.g., debris, pollutants, and larvae) and was also impacted by the extreme weathers (e.g., hurricane, winter storm), so this study aims to develop a coupled modeling and observational system to this small scale, shallow bay system. To represent surface flows in the system, this study deployed 35 surface drifters at various tidal phases and wind conditions during 2017 and 2018 to investigate the drifter trajectory with the relationship of winds, tides. In additional, ADCP, CTD, wave instruments (e.g., signature) were deployed to measure the wave and circulation dynamics. These data analysis showed the impact of wind, wave and tide to this shallow bay dynamics. Then the wave-current based model was applied to simulate hydrodynamics, bay-ocean exchange, and wave and storm surge dynamics, blue crab recruitment and also coupled with the watershed model and Ground water information. Observed data derived from the National Data Buoy Center and United States Geological Surveys were used to compare with modeled results. Through this coupled modeling and observational system, it was found winds and extreme weathers impact the bay-ocean exchange and salinity gradient; wave can contribute to around 10% of water level and circulation during the passage of hurricane; severe mixing still exists during the extreme weather for this pretty shallow system; hurricane can favor some parts of the bay’s blue recruitment while some parts decrease. The finding from this study on the MCBs is hoped to provide insights into these shallow bays’ response to different dynamics in a holistic manner and to identify probabilities and consequences of what the future may hold. |
| Umesh Korde, Steve Elgar | Nonlinear wave interactions as a source of energy on the seafloor | Wave-wave interactions, underwater wave groups, energy on seafloor | Nonlinear interactions among multi-directional surface waves in the deep ocean drive acoustic-gravity waves that travel through the water column. When these waves excite a resonance in the coupled system comprised of a compressible ocean and an elastic seafloor, the energy transferred to the seafloor can be appreciable, and can manifest as microseisms on the shore. A related effect occurs in near-shore shallow water, when approaching swells interact nonlinearly with a sloping seafloor. Several questions need to be addressed before these phenomena can be used for energy conversion on the seafloor (e.g., wave-wave interaction times, acoustic-gravity + Scholte wave-group directions, energy spreading with distance, effect of seafloor features, etc.). This poster will summarize some of our recent work, which builds on the early theories of Hasselmann, Longuet-Higgins, Whitham, and Phillips; and the numerous subsequent observational and computational studies published since (e.g., those of Elgar et al., Herbers and Guza, Ardhuin et al., Kibblewhite et al., and others). Deep water results are checked against measured data in the N. Atlantic (about 2700m depth), and shallow water results are compared with measured data off S. California (about 30m depth). This work is supported by the Office of Naval Research and the National Science Foundation. |
| Caroline, Lowcher; M., Muglia; H., Seim; P., Taylor; J., Bane; Z., Al-Attabi | Shelf and slope observations and coastal dynamics off of North Carolina | Coastal processes, Gulf Stream variability and dynamics, Gulf Stream meanders, cross-shore exchange, marine renewable energy | NC’s coastal ocean is a complex region of confluence. South Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic Bight shelf waters converge at the Hatteras Front implying offshore transport from the shelf to the deep ocean. Additionally, this region is where the Gulf Stream (GS) separates from the shelf break. The confluence of waters with various water mass properties drive biogeochemical processes important for ecosystem dynamics and fisheries. Multiple observational campaigns, e.g., Processes driving Exchange At Cape Hatteras (PEACH), have examined these coastal processes on the shelf and slope using current measurements, high-frequency radar, current and pressure sensing inverted echo sounders, gliders, and hydrographic surveys. We will provide an overview of previous and ongoing research related to the mean circulation, GS variability and meanders, and cross-shore exchange. Off Cape Hatteras, GS transport estimates range from 50-100 Sv with greater (less) transport downstream (upstream) of Hatteras. GS speeds vary in time, but more pronounced are shifts in the GS’s path which result in significant transport variability at a fixed location. Path shifts occur when the GS transitions between weakly and strongly deflected states, as well as when GS meanders propagate downstream on the inshore GS edge changing the GS’s position and orientation. Long timeseries of high-frequency radar surface velocities can be used to approximate the GS’s location with sampling intervals that resolve higher frequency meander-scale variability. These GS meanders have a 3D velocity structure, are asymmetric, and upwell deeper nutrient-rich waters onto the shelf within the meander trough. Other oceanographic processes include cross-shore exchanges on the shelf and upper slope which are attributed to cascading events on synoptic timescales and Ekman dynamics at lower frequencies. Observations collected to examine all of these processes have been instrumental in marine energy (ME) resource assessments supporting state and federal objectives for developing the ME sector. |
| Ata, Suanda; C., Briseño-Avena; W., Johnson; M., McLean; B., Tolar | A South Atlantic Bight shelf-to-Gulf Stream observation program: Transect Expedition to Assess Land-to-Sea Habitats via Interdisciplinary Process Studies (TEAL-SHIPS) | South-Atlantic Bight; Ship-board research opportunities; Gulf Stream; Ecosystem studies | Across the South Atlantic Bight continental shelf, freshwater-influenced coastal waters transition to the Gulf Stream. Currently, there is limited understanding of how this water mass transition affects the marine food web and nutrient cycling due to a lack of integrated observations that simultaneously span ocean physics, chemistry, and multiple trophic levels. Funded by the University of North Carolina System, we will conduct repeat research cruises spanning the mouth of the Cape Fear River to the Gulf Stream to sample the seasonally evolving oceanographic and ecosystem variability in the region. This project, TEAL-SHIPS (calendar year 2025 – 2026), seeks to “take the pulse” of the shelf-to-Gulf Stream ecosystems through an interdisciplinary approach in advance of long-term regional change. Our broader goal is to establish a continuously running oceanographic transect at this location, ~200 km south of Cape Hatteras and upstream of the Gulf Stream separation. With the potential connectivity to OOI-Pioneer Array relocated to the Southern Mid-Atlantic Bight, this poster introduces the TEAL-SHIPS measurement platform to enhance collaborative and comparative opportunities between our program and the OOI-PA community. |
| A. Cifuentes-Lorenzen , J. O’Donnell , C. J. Zappa , Y. Shin, L. Hogan, D. Ullman, and J. B Edson | Observations of the subsurface structure of TKE dissipation rates in the Western North Atlantic Shelf | We present observations of subsurface Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) dissipation rates under moderate to strong forcing conditions in the Western North Atlantic shelf. Estimates based on the structure function approach show a clear enhancement relative to the law-of-the-wall in the upper region with convergence to the rigid wall scaling at depth. The enhancement can be explained in terms of the wind energy input to the wave field suggesting the observed enhancement is driven by wave breaking. We observe a two-layer structure with an approximately constant TKE dissipation rate near the surface and an approximate z -2 behavior below consistent with observations by Terray et al. (1996) and Sutherland and Melville (2015). The constant layer appears to be shallow and constraint to the most upper region of the water column. Below this constant region the TKE dissipation rate remains high with the enhancement reaching 3-4 times the significant wave height. We propose that the depth of the constant layer can be scaled in terms of a mean wave height representative of higher frequency waves that dominate wave breaking. | |
| Jennifer Wolny, C. Law, E. Gortz, E. Brooks, L. Gibala-Smith & M. Mulholland | Use of Imaging FlowCytobot (IFCB) data to retrospectively characterize a harmful algal bloom in Virginia waters | Harmful algal bloom, imaging technology, resource monitoring | In the late summer and early autumn of 2017, the first observations of the potentially toxigenic dinoflagellate, Karenia papilionacea, were made in samples collected at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and along the Bay side of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Despite long-term water quality monitoring programs in this region (Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Program, monthly or twice monthly, 1985 – present and Virginia Department of Health, semi-monthly, 1998 – present), Karenia species had not previously been reported within Chesapeake Bay or along the Virginia Atlantic coastline even though K. papilionacea blooms occurred along the Maryland or Delaware coastlines in 2007, 2010, and 2016. The Karenia blooms that occur in the mid-Atlantic region appear to be spatially patchy and short-lived (~ two weeks), with bloom peak occurring in late August or early September. Since 2016, spatially- and temporally-limited blooms K. papilionacea and K. mikimotoi have occurred almost annually in the coastal waters of Delaware and/or Maryland. In 2023, a NESLTER EcoMon cruise, deployed with an Imaging FlowCytobot (IFCB), captured a K. papilionacea bloom (maximum concentration 1.7 × 10^5 cells/L, 11/1/2024, 50 km NE of the Chesapeake Bay mouth) along the Delmarva Peninsula in late October and early November. The IFCB data indicated this bloom was present in coastal waters for three weeks prior to being detected in several shellfish harvesting locations on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Inshore cell concentrations peaked in mid-November (3.6 × 10^5 cells/L, 11/19/2024, near Cape Charles, VA). Despite these blooms, to date there have been no reported cases of biotoxin poisonings or exceedances of brevetoxin thresholds in shellfish harvested from regional waters. The use of autonomous monitoring assets, such as IFCB and satellite remote sensing, need to be further investigated as tools to assist regional resource managers. |
| Jacob T. Airth, Lauren J. Buczek, Alexander B. Bochdansky | Microbial responses to methane enrichment in deep-sea environments | Methane seeps, microbial physiology and ecology, deep sea | Methane emanates from thousands of seeps at the methane clathrate instability zone at depths between 400 and 600 meters along the continental shelf slope. Methane consuming bacteria in the water column convert close to 100 % of this methane into biomass and carbon dioxide before it reaches the atmosphere. This laboratory study demonstrates how microbial biomass (measured by microscope counts and adenosine triphosphate) increased over several weeks in the presence of methane following a logistic growth model. Our results demonstrate that the microbial growth response was almost instantaneous in response to the exposure to methane. In addition to prokaryotes, a wide variety of heterotrophic protists thrived by feeding on the developing methanotrophs. |
| Emily Havard, C Davis, C Benitez-Nelson | Decreasing foraminiferal flux as a driver of reduced carbonate flux: Lessons from three decades of sediment trapping in Santa Barbara Basin | Carbon cycle, carbonate, foraminifera, plankton, | Planktic foraminifera, a group of calcifying marine protists, have left behind a rich shell record in marine sediments and contribute to inorganic carbon cycling through the export of their shells. Shifts in foraminiferal flux or assemblages are thus both indicators of and potential feedbacks to climatic change. However, responses of flux to climate change are so rapid as to appear geologically instantaneous, and the actual rate and drivers of change remain difficult to constrain without direct observation. Here, we focus on the impact of ongoing, rapid climate change on planktic foraminifera from a 28-year timeseries. The Santa Barbara Basin sediment trap, located off the coast of California since 1993, provides a record of recent foraminiferal flux. The sediment trap captures the superposition of the annual cycle of seasonal upwelling in Santa Barbara Basin, on both multiannual cycles and anthropogenically forced climate change. We present data on planktic foraminiferal flux collected between 2014-2021, at two-week intervals (164 samples, 60,006 individuals) and compare results to previously published data from 1993-1998. We find a 37.9% decrease in total foraminiferal flux relative to the 1990s, primarily driven by a decrease in Globigerina bulloides, accompanied by a 21.9% overall decrease in calcium carbonate flux. We also find a decrease in the relative abundance of subtropical species flux compared to the 1990s, contrary to expectations if assemblages and fluxes were to primarily follow a trend dominated by anthropogenic warming signals. We hypothesize that the observed decrease in subtropical species flux is related to an increase in both acidification and in the timing and magnitude of upwelling and acidification along the California coastal upwelling system. This extremely rapid response of foraminifera to ongoing changes in carbonate chemistry and temperature suggests that climate change is already having a meaningful impact on coastal carbon cycling. |
