Trump ditches vital ocean monitoring system

The Trump administration is scrapping a $368m ocean monitoring network, alarming scientists as record sea temperatures, a looming “super” El Niño and threats to ocean currents intensify

OCEAN OBSERVATORIES INITIATIVE (OOI)
Since 2016, network of around 900 sensors, moorings and underwater gliders across Pacific and Atlantic collecting real-time data to help scientists monitor ocean health

*Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation
Network of ocean currents that some scientists fear could be on course to collapse

Tropical Pacific
Unusually warm subsurface waters signal possible onset of strong El Niño

Global Irminger Sea
Key to understanding changes in AMOC*

Coastal Pioneer
Tracks interactions between coastal waters and oceanArrays to be dismantled over next 15 months

Coastal Endurance
Array most closely linked to monitoring El Niño. Removal underway

Ocean Station Papa
Tracks water quality in area highly vulnerable to acidification

Global Argentine
Basin Global Southern Ocean
Regional Cabled
Pacific Ocean
Atlantic Ocean

Sources: AP, National Science Foundation/OOI, American Geophysical Union
Pictures: Google Earth, Image from work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation Ocean Observatories Initiative
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