Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry

How do carbon and other elements transition between ocean and other global reservoirs and how do associated fluxes impact the Earth system through their interaction and change over time?

What – Quantify elemental (C, N, P, Si, Fe, others) pools of the deep sea, continental margins, and coastal zones and characterize mechanisms for their variation in time and the interaction within and between elemental pools. Define exchanges and feedbacks between natural and anthropogenic ocean-land-atmosphere elemental pools and how the oceanic component of this integrated system contributes to contemporary and future carbon cycling and climate.

Benefit to Society – Current assessments indicate that oceans absorb most anthropogenic carbon emissions, play a dominant role in climate regulation and variability, directly influence atmospheric chemistry, biologically process vast quantities of nutrients from human, agricultural, and other sources, clear atmospheric pollution, and support half the productivity of the planet.

Observational Strategy – Evolution of a comprehensive remote sensing suite involving advanced passive measurements of sea spectral reflectance and active (lidar) measurements of vertical light scattering properties and encompassing polar-orbiting and geostationary platforms to provide the differential spatial and temporal resolutions requisite for addressing coastal to global issues. Inclusive to this capability are synergies with multidisciplinary remote sensing observations (SST, wind, SST, Ozone, Aerosols, MLD) and links to concurrent field programs (NACP, ORION, NEON, GOOS). Earth system models are integrated for improved remote sensing products (e.g., atmospheric corrections) and extension from observations to predictions. Central products include: Chl, POC, PIC, CDOM, DOC, and DIC stocks, eutrophication indices, carbon pool fluxes (including net and export primary production), and links to climate.

Ocean Ecosystems & Biodiversity

How are ocean ecosystems and the diverse biological communities they support function and how is ecosystem function changing over time?

What –Assessment of structure, functioning and distribution of ocean ecosystems and how these features change in time. Appraisal of the relationship between ecosystem structure and function and their roles in ocean global biogeochemical cycles. Development of a predictive understanding of the responses to ecosystem disturbance. Evaluation of the diversity of ocean life and its role in ecosystem function and biogeochemical cycling.

Benefit to Society – Ocean ecosystems help regulate global biogeochemical cycles that in turn regulate the Earth System. Ecosystem also provide services to society via nutrient cycling, fisheries, natural products, pollutant degradation, long-term carbon repository, etc. Further, society [used to] value the non-use existence value of healthy ocean ecosystems.

Observational Strategy – Need to remotely assess useful ecosystem parameters (biomass, partitioning of biomass into functional groups), net primary production, etc. over synoptic to global scales. Multiple spatial and spectral resolution encompassing polar-orbiting and geostationary platforms. Accurate global time series of sea surface reflectance, coupled models (driven by other RS quantities), assessments of functional groups of phytoplankton via hyperspectral imagery, phytoplankton primary production via modeling & direct determinations via pulsed Lidar. Synergy with other RS observations (SSH, vector wind, SST, SSS, O3, Aerosols, MLD) required to understand ecosystems over synoptic scales. Integration with in situ technologies provides a means to extend surface-ocean observations to depth, and to calibrate observations in complex environments in near-real-time. Implementation of ecosystem models required for predictive capability.

Coastal Ocean Habitat and Human Health

What is the variety and geographical distribution of coastal marine habitats? How do these change and what are the implications for human health?

What –Coastal zones, from the watershed to the ocean’s shelf break exhibit high geographical and temporal variability in physical, geological, chemical, and biological processes. This implies a high degree of habitat diversity over distances ranging from meters to kilometers. Natural and anthropogenic forcings lead to changes in habitats and in functional groups of species within them. Knowledge and prediction of these changes requires understanding of the complex biotic assemblages that occupy the habitats and of the processes that act within them.Benefit to Society –Over one quarter the globe’s population and nearly half of the U.S. population live in or near the coastal zone. These regions sustain our health and provide tremendous value to our economy. Habitat diversity influences whether biological communities including humans persist or change, and whether ecosystem services can be sustained.Observational Strategy –The high spatial and temporal variability of coastal zones, combined with high biological production, riverine output and diverse shallow bottoms requires technologies that provide 1) synoptic observations at 2) high spatial resolution [1-100 m], 2) high spectral resolution [20-30 bands], 3) high sensitivity and digitization, and 4) high frequency (minutes to days). Polar-orbiting and geostationary platforms are needed to address this range of processes and habitats around the globe. Physical and geological remote sensing observations (ALT, wind, SST, salinity, Ozone, Aerosols, MLD) need to be integrated with in situ technologies to assess the depth dimension, and to calibrate observations in complex environments in near-real-time. Large programs (LTER, NACP, ORION, NEON, GOOS) provide a science context. Ecosystem models that simulate coastal processes will need to be developed for predictive capability.

Hazards and Anthropogenic Stressors

How do natural hazards and pollutants impact the hydrography and biology of the coastal zone?

What – The ocean and coastal regime are subject to a variety of hazards resulting from natural and manmade changes to climate and the environment. Large and infrequent events may have the greatest impact on organisms within the coastal zone and the communities residing along the coasts. These hazards and episodic events can result from: Atmosphere – tropical storms, sea surface warming, increased acidity from elevated CO2 Terrestrial – river runoff events, earthquakes, glacial meltwater Oceanic - toxic spills, harmful algal blooms, cessation of upwelling, tsunamis, icebergs, anoxia, pollutantsWith the onset of global warming, episodic events may intensify in strength and frequency and result in permanent changes to marine life.

Observational Strategy - High temporal resolution, High spatial resolution, Physical properties (SST, Salinity, TSM, bathymetry, mixed layer depth), Biological properties ( CDOM, Chl, PP), How do we handle clouds?? Storms = Clouds, these are the critical times for enhancing observational capabilities. Radar? Variety of integrated modeling efforst to forecast hazards and consequences

Benefit to Society - With the migration of the world’s population toward coastal cities, estuarine and coastal systems are highly vulnerable to natural hazards. Better observational capabilities and modeling techniques will allow us to improve forecasts of the magnitude and consequences of episodic events.

Hazards and Anthropogenic Stressors