School of Ocean and Earth Science (SOES)

Extreme global warming in the ancient past

The scientific drilling ship JOIDES Resolution docked in Hobart, Tasmania (photo: John Beck, IODP)

Variations in atmosphere carbon dioxide around 40 million years ago were tightly coupled to changes in global temperature, according to new findings published in the journal Science. The study was led by scientists at Utrecht University, working with colleagues at the NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and the University of Southampton.

King crab distributions limited by temperature in the Southern Ocean

The king crab species Paralomis elongata from Bouvet Island, Southern Ocean

Invasions of voracious predatory crabs due to global warming could threaten the unique continental-shelf ecosystems of Antarctica, according to newly published findings.

Coccolithophore blooms in the southwest Atlantic

The coccolithophore species Emiliania huxleyi (credit: Alex Poulton, NOC)

A study led by Dr Stuart Painter of the National Oceanography Centre helps explain the formation of huge phytoplankton blooms off the southeast coast of South America during the austral summer (December–January). The region supports the highly productive Patagonian Shelf marine ecosystem, which includes a globally important fishery.

RRS Discovery expedition to trace South Atlantic’s vital nutrients

The RRS Discovery at sea (credit: Leighton Rolley)

RRS Discovery sets sail for the South Atlantic on 17 October to investigate the metals vital to marine life. These metal micronutrients act as fertilizers in the ocean affecting global climate and in turn, societies and economies around the world.

Nautilus 2010 - Opportunity of a lifetime

Tom Chamberlain

Tom Chamberlain, a third year undergraduate studying geophysics at the University of Southampton, has this summer joined an expedition on the EV Nautilus to explore regions in the Sea of Marmara and the Eastern Aegean, Turkey.

Geoscientists explain differences between large Sumatran earthquakes

Geophysical equipment (‘airguns’) being deployed

University of Southampton scientists based at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, along with US and Indonesian collaborators have uncovered clues as to why some undersea earthquakes generate huge tsunamis. Their findings may help explain why the 2004 Sumatra ‘Boxing Day Tsunami’ was so devastating.

Rare bronze ram from an ancient Mediterranean warship

Reconstruction of a Hellenistic warship (Drawing by Kirsten Flemming)

Scholars from five research institutions led by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in Southampton have analysed a rare 20kg bronze ram from an ancient Mediterranean warship. Known as the ‘Belgammel’ Ram, it is named after the site where it was discovered off the coast of Libya, near Tobruk.

Deep sedimentation of acantharian cysts – a reproductive strategy?

Acantharian cyst (Patrick Martin SOES/NOCS)

Spore-like reproductive cysts of enigmatic organisms called acantharians rapidly sink from surface waters to the deep ocean in certain regions, according to new research.

Scientists suspect that this is part of an extraordinary reproductive strategy, which allows juveniles to exploit a seasonal food bonanza.

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