Sound Waves Newsletter: July-October 2023
Explore stories related to coasts, climate, and corals in this issue of Sound Waves.
Monitoring the Storm: USGS Coastal Response to Hurricane Lee
In preparation for Hurricane Lee, scientists at the USGS deployed sensors and surveyed the U.S. Northeast coast to monitor the impacts of the storm. Monitoring hurricane impacts helps us better understand how coastal landscapes change in response to storms and allows us to validate models that forecast the dynamics of coastal storm impacts.
DYOD (Download Your Own Data): New API available for total water level and coastal change forecasts can aid coastal resilience
Need coastal forecast data? We've got your back. The USGS and NOAA have provided real-time forecasts of total water levels and coastal change along U.S. sandy beaches for almost a decade via an online viewer. Now, you can access the forecasts that power the viewer yourself with a new API (application programming interface)—helping to increase efficiency in addressing coastal resilience challenges.
Using Climate Models for Global Storm Surge Projections
In new research, an international team of scientists including USGS oceanographers utilized advanced global hydrodynamic and climate models to project the impact of a warming climate on storm surges—a significant threat to coastal regions.
Can oceans store more CO2 to help with climate change?
Did you know that oceans capture a large amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping mitigate climate change? It’s true, and scientists are investigating whether oceans can store even more of the greenhouse gas than they already do.
First Examination of Functional Capacity of Deep-sea Coral Microbiomes Reveals Details of Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling Plus Tropical Similarities
In this newly published "deep dive" into coral microbiomes, Dr. Christina Kellogg and partners reveal very similar microbial gene functions in deep-water coral microbiomes compared to those in shallow, tropical environments. They also uncover results such as varying nutritional strategies, antibiotic gene resistance, and differences between stony and soft coral microbiomes.
New Models Show Restoration Can Benefit Salmon While Reducing Flood Risks to Pacific Northwest River Deltas
Large river deltas in the Pacific Northwest—low-lying and already flood-prone—face a future marked by increasingly frequent and intense flooding as climate change accelerates. Nature-based restoration can substantially reduce these flood risks.
Elwha River: New Study Examines Effects of Dam Removals on Coastal Ecosystems
In new research, a team of scientists characterize the response of the coastal environment to a massive input of sediment following the removal of two dams along the Elwha River in Washington state.
Hawaiian Drowned Reefs Expedition: Coral Cores Provide Glimpse into Climate Past and Future
As climate change and human-induced disruptions threaten coral reefs worldwide, scientists are increasingly turning to the past to better understand these vital ecosystems, using coral cores from drowned reef terraces as time capsules to learn how reefs responded to environmental upheavals throughout history.
Coral Bleaching Event Can Increase Flood Risk, Economic Losses
Coral reefs are known for their natural beauty, biodiversity, and support of important local fisheries, but their value and importance extend even further. They provide significant social and economic benefits by reducing the impact of coastal storms and flooding on nearby communities.
USGS scientists shade corals in emergency rescue effort amidst unprecedented ocean temperatures
Coral provide shelter for many marine species and directly support most of Florida’s multibillion dollar recreation and fishing industries. They also provide coastal communities shoreline protection from storms and waves by helping to break up waves and dissipate energy.
News Briefs: July-October 2023
News Briefs - featuring coastal and ocean science from across the USGS.
Photo Roundup: July-October 2023
A selection of coastal and ocean videos and photographs from across the USGS.