Ocean Acidification Research Center

Ocean acidification (OA) is the result of anthropogenic increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide that is later absorbed by the ocean. This change in ocean chemistry makes the global oceans more acidic. Concerns over increasing acidity in Alaska and how this phenomenon will impact Alaska’s Blue Economy spurred the creation of the Ocean Acidification Research Center (OARC) within the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).

OARC map

Placement of this center in Alaska is critical to the state’s long-term interests because the region will experience the effects of ocean acidification faster and to a greater degree than in lower latitudes due to colder water temperatures, ocean circulation patterns, and highly productive continental shelves. These characteristics act to enhance the transport of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere into the ocean, which may accelerate acidification.

OARC Objectives

  1. Conduct research into OA, particularly in Alaskan waters, to determine the intensity, duration, and extent of OA around the state. We achieve this by long-term autonomous monitoring and modeling efforts, conducting field observations in highly sensitive areas, and quantifying physiological responses of vulnerable and commercially viable species.
  2. Serve the public and private sectors by providing access to OARC-generated data, training students and citizen scientists, and accepting seawater samples to be run at cost.

Thank you for your support!

We are very thankful to our funders for their support, including the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Coastal Marine Institute (CMI), Cooperative Institute for Alaska Research (CIFAR), National Atmospheric and Space Administration (NASA), National Park Service (NPS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Science Foundation (NSF), North Pacific Research Board (NPRB), Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center (PCCRC), and the State of Alaska.

Open Positions

Graduate student research assistant

The Ocean Acidification Research Center (OARC) is seeking a current, UAF graduate student for a research assistantship during the fall 2023 semester.  Students from any department with analytical chemistry experience are preferred, interest in oceanography desirable.  Please email Natalie Monacci for details.

Links

Here are a few helpful links to learn more information about OA research in Alaska and around the globe.

For more information, please email oarc@cfos.uaf.edu or tweet us at @OARC_Alaska.

News

Alaska’s longest continual ocean acidification mooring, nicknamed “GAKOA” (for Gulf of Alaska Ocean Acidification), just turned ten years old.
We are accepting proposals from current UAF students to add ocean acidification (OA) measurements to their research projects. Proposals are due March 15, 2023. View the ’Samples of Opportunity’ site for more information. 
Learn about the  spring 2022 mooring cruise for the Ecosystems and Fisheries-Oceanography Coordinated Investigations in this 4-part series. Watch the video.
The Alaska Ocean Acidification Network hosted their annual update session in January 2022 for members to share new research and activities.  Watch the recording if you missed the event.

2021 CICOES MagazineOARC on page 16

The Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) is out for 2021!  The OARC contributes to this annual data product to be used for quantification of ocean CO2 uptake. 

See credits on the SOCAT version 2021 web page.

The Coastal Ocean Data Analysis Product in North America (CODAP-NA) is out!  Check out the new paper we coauthored with lead author Liqing Jiang on inorganic carbon, oxygen, and nutrients on the North American ocean margins.

OARC in the Global Ocean Acidification Network’s "Pier Review” Newsletter.

OARC Lead Natalie Monacci presented the "Ocean Acidification Research Center" as part of the 2021 Arctic Research Open House. 

View the video on YouTube.

The Alaska Ocean Acidification Network hosted an ocean acidification session at the end of the 2021 Alaska Marine Science Symposium where 18 researchers gave 5-minute updates on their activities, results and plans.

View the recording.

OARC is a member of the Marine Arctic Ecosystem Study (MARES) that won the 2019 Excellence in Partnership award from the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP). The award was announced in February 2020. The MARES project is an international, interagency partnership with more than 25 groups from federal, state, tribal, academic, and private groups in Alaska and Canada. The MARES project looked at more than 20 variables to understand the structure and function of the marine ecosystem in the Beaufort Sea. The MARES project was lead by Stantec’s Dr. Francis Weise. OARC deployed autonomous sensors to measure carbon parameters in the Alaskan and Canadian Beaufort Sea shelf near the Mackenzie River canyon.

See more information about the award.