The ocean plays a major role in shaping the Earth's climate, regulating on timescales of decades to millennia the atmospheric levels of key atmospheric trace gases such as carbon dioxide. Despite recent progress, many key questions remain regarding the magnitude and evolution of ocean carbon uptake and the biogeochemical responses and feedbacks to future changes in ocean temperature, acidity, circulation, nutrient and mineral inputs, UV radiation, ecological shifts and other climatic and human-induced changes. The U.S. and international oceanographic research communities are developing coherent research strategies for addressing many of these key unknowns through programs such as OCCC, SOLAS, IMBER and ORION. In January 2006, an Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) Science Steering Committee (SSC) was created by NSF, NASA and NOAA to coordinate and help lead this effort with the U.S.
With funding from this award, an OCB Project Office will be established at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to facilitate activities initiated, organized and coordinated by the OCB Scientific Steering Committee. Broadly speaking, these roles fall in to four categories: 1) direct logistical support to the SSC for its meetings, production of reports and other SSC activities; 2) facilitate and promote communication of these SSC activities to the national and international scientific community and broader audiences, and serve as a clearing house for information related to US and international ocean carbon cycle science programs; 3) organize community workshops, symposia, and, 4) education and outreach activities, including promotion of ocean carbon science to broader audiences, policy makers, and underrepresented students. This effort will build on the extensive prior experience of the team assembled at WHOI in helping manage and facilitate oceanographic research programs. It also leverages resources to be provided from WHOI to support meetings and workshops, the Project Office, and its personnel.
This activity is expected to have a number of broader impacts. Improved understanding of ocean biogeochemistry and the interaction with climate are critically needed by society given the potential impacts of climate change and the major role of the ocean in modulating atmospheric composition. By enabling OCB SSC activities, the OCB Project Office will provide a central contact point for PIs and national and international scientists and facilitate education and outreach activities at a professional level, thus encouraging the next generation of ocean biogeochemists and raising public awareness of the need and value of this type of research. Specific education and outreach activities to be undertaken include: an annual week-long science program to introduce underrepresented minority students from the MSPHDS program to ocean biogeochemistry; in collaboration with COSEE-NE, targeted workshops focused on helping ocean scientists tell the story of their research and its importance to policy makers; production of web-based materials (general science stories; Powerpoint slide and image libraries) applicable to K-12 education and the general public describing current state of knowledge and uncertainties surrounding ocean biogeochemistry and global climate issues.
