NOC News Round-Up 20 January 2017

How has the ocean changes since the Miocene? On Wednesday NOC scientists set out on a 60-day expedition to the Eastern Ross sea, Antarctica, to investigate how ocean circulation and environmental conditions have changed from the present to the Middle Miocene. The outcomes of this expedition will enable the development of high-resolution sediment deposition models relating to marine-based ice sheets and oceanic processes. This is an international expedition, as part of the NOC-led ANTSSS project, which aims to survey the Hillary Canyon on the Ross Sea continental margin, as well as and sediment mounds on the continental rise. This will be achieved by collecting data from the water column, seafloor and sub-seafloor. The sea is warming more quickly than the last inter-glacial This week NOC's Professor Meric Srokosz reacted to a paper published in the journal Science on sea levels and sea surface temperatures "This is an interesting study that shows during the last interglaciation sea surface temperatures rose to be similar to those of today and sea levels were 6 to 9m higher. Most significantly, they show the change in temperatures over thousands of years during the interglaciation, is occurring now over just a century. This demonstrates humanity's rapid impact on the planet and raises the possibility of significant longer-term rises in sea level." NOC at Coastal Futures Conference NOC's Steve Hall and Russell Wynn presented at this year's Coastal Futures conference, held in London this week. Steve's presentation was titled 'Ocean warming – rising evidence of physical & ecosystem change', and Russell covered 'Exploring, mapping and monitoring the ocean with the developing robot fleet' focusing on the NOC's ongoing mass MAS deployment project Marine Autonomous Systems in Support of Marine Observations. All aboard James Cook As part of our public outreach activity programme, this week the team on board RRS James Cook have welcomed Cubs, Scouts, Sea Cadets, school groups and NOC and NERC friends and family - over 900 people in total! The groups have been treated to a behind the scenes look at the research ship while she is moored alongside the NOC in Southampton between deployments, including meeting the Master on the bridge, seeing the science labs and equipment bays and the all important ship's Mess. Questions have ranged from "what's the biggest fish you've seen?" to "If you take cores from the ocean floor will the earth eventually collapse?".   You can read more about RRS James Cook on our website here.   This email was sent using GovDelivery, on behalf of: National Oceanography Centre · Waterfront Campus · European Way · Southampton · SO14 3ZH · United Kingdom