Climate Linked Atlantic Sector Science (CLASS)

New Ascension Island tide gauge providing unique sea-level insight

The Ascension tide gauge
  • The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has installed a new tide gauge located on Ascension Island.
  • The cutting-edge gauge will provide a unique record of sea-level in the remote ocean.

RRS James Cook sets sail to study human impacts on deep-sea ecosystems

RRS James Cook

Scientists from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) have set-sail on the RRS James Cook on a collaborative expedition to the Whittard Canyon to advance knowledge of some of the richest and most complex deep-sea ecosystems on Earth.

New study reveals ‘leaky’ deep ocean may store less carbon

A study by scientists at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has shown that carbon storage in the deep ocean may be considerably less permanent than previously assumed, raising questions about the role the ocean may play as a carbon sink in the future.

NOC and West P&I celebrate successful first year of international bursary programme

Online mentoring with the Class of 2021

A new bursary made available by West of England P&I club (West P&I) and managed by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has had a highly successful first year, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

New fleet of advanced robotic floats to understand ocean health

A dark ocean surface littered with ice, an inhospitable and remote location

The ocean plays a vital role in sustaining life on Earth, regulating our climate and providing us with living resources, such as food. A new fleet of advanced robotic floats will provide data to understand the status of the ocean environment and its resources today, and for years to come.

Three-miles down, 30-year study, the giant amphipods are changing

The giant amphipod, <em>Eurythenes</em>.

Studying samples that date back to 1985, NOC scientists have discovered that the key scavengers of the deep-sea floor have changed in a way that matches changes in surface ocean climate.

Deep-sea sponge vulnerable marine ecosystems under threat

NOC’s historic observations of the glass sponge Pheronema carpenteri in the Porcupine Seabight, NE Atlantic. Top row: original observations from 1983/4 (epibenthic sledge camera system); middle row: as observed in 1991 (WASP camera system); bottom row: specimens recovered in 1991, now held in the Discovery Collections.

Deep-sea sponges in the Porcupine Seabight (NE Atlantic), regarded as vulnerable marine ecosystems, appear to have declined dramatically in recent decades as a result of fishing, according to research published today.

Do deep-sea fish migrate?

The DELOS project is well matched with the NOC’s deep-ocean observation programme.

The first documented seasonal migrations of fish across the deep-sea floor has been revealed in research published today, involving NOC authors.

Research expedition assesses the continued ability of the North Atlantic to mitigate global heating

On 19 January an international research expedition led by scientists from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) will be sailing from Fort Lauderdale in the USA to conduct a high precision scientific survey along 24.5°N of the North Atlantic.

Early career fellowships awarded for Atlantic Ocean research

A major NOC-led research programme, focused on the Atlantic Ocean, has awarded four fellowships to support early career researcher development.

These fellowships will also help address key knowledge gaps in Atlantic Ocean variability and climate regulation, as well as assessing how the Atlantic will change in response to human activity.