My Journey To Study The World's Oceans and Challenges

My journey to study the world’s oceans and challenges/
opportunities for the next generation of ocean explorers.

Oscar Schofield (Rutgers University)
Monday, November 15, 2010

Motivations The Path Forward
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon: Dr. R. K. Pachuauzri

“slowing or even reversing the existing Chairman, IPCC: lays out a
trends of global warming is the defining path that we need
challenge of our ages”
Knowledge (WHAT DO WE KNOW?)

1) How do we define what constitutes
dangerous anthropogenic interference within
the climate system?
Skills (WHAT SHOULD WE DO?)
2) How do we prepare the human race to
face sea level rise & work with new
geographic realities?
Behavior (WHAT SHOULD I DO?)
3) What changes in lifestyles, behavior
patterns and management practices are
needed, and by when?

The next generation has an urgent need. We need a new generation of
scientists/engineers/science literate population. There is an urgency as the
world is changing.

world is changing.
Unfortunately scientists sometimes do not

articulate the urgent need effectively.

world is changing.
dD  D   Ωkr , D * x _ k * y _ k * Kr * D   Ωs , D * x _ s * y _ s * S * D 
=  D * (1 − )  −   −  
dt  Kd   Ωkr , D * D + ((1 − Ωkr , D) * C ) + R _ kr , D + R _ kr , C   Ωs, D * D + (1 − Ωs, D) * C + R _ s, D + R _ s, C 
dC  C   (1 − Ωkr , D) * x _ k * y _ k * Kr * C   (1 − Ωs, D) * x _ s * y _ s * S * C 
Unfortunately scientists sometimes do not =  C *1 −
dt 
−
  
 − 
 
Kc   (1 − Ωkr , D) * C + Ωkr , D * D + R _ kr , D + R _ kr , C )   (1 − Ωs, D ) * C + Ωs, D * D + R _ s, D + R _ s, C ) 
articulate the urgent need effectively. dK  (Ωkr , D * y _ k * D ) + (1 − Ωkr , D ) * y _ k * C )   Ωp , K * x _ p * y _ p * K * P 
= − x _ k * K * 1 −  −  
dt  (Ωkr , D * D + (1 − Ωkr , D ) * C + R _ k , D + R _ k , C   Ωp, K * K + (1 − Ωp, K ) * S + C _ p, Kr 
dS 
= − x _ s * S * 1 −
(Ωs, D * y _ s * D + (1 − Ωs, D) * y _ s * C )   (1 − Ωp, K ) * x _ p * y _ p * S * P 
 −  
dt  Ωs, D * D + (1 − Ωs, D) * C + R _ s, D + R _ s, C   Ωp, K * K + (1 − Ωp, K ) * S + C _ p, S ) 
dP  (Ωp, K * y _ p * K + (1 − Ωp, K ) * y _ p * S ) 
= − x _ p * P * 1 − 
dt  Ωp, K * K + (1 − Ωp, K ) * S + C _ p, K + C _ p, S 
translation, “milk in my coffee please”

So rather then nerd out on you, let me tell about I do, why I
chose this path, my research of this changing Earth.
I take the need to understand where the world going very
personally for two major reasons.
REASON 1: I grew up in the ocean, swimming, fishing, surfing, skin diving. I
love the ocean. The ocean has changed significantly in my lifetime.

SO WHY DID I CHOOSE THE PATH I DID?
FAMILY?
Mom is an artist and baker
Dad was a wine maker
Yes, from them I was taught how fun &

hard it was to observe the world
SO WHY DID I CHOOSE THE PATH I DID?
FAMILY?
Mom is an artist and baker
BUT I WAS DIFFERENT.....

I WAS A GEEK.....
I WAS A SCIENTIST.......
Dad was a wine maker
Yes, from them I was taught how fun &

hard it was to observe the world
Science is a process with which to explore and understand the world
When I was an undergraduate I was lucky to do science with my hands. Doing science was
exciting, creative, and an adventure!

Many instruments required human power

to collect samples in the ocean

Many instruments required human power

hand lowering a sensor
at age 18 on my first ocean cruise

Many instruments required human power We built instruments and brought them sea
hand lowering a sensor

Many instruments required human power We built instruments and brought them sea
no computers, data instrument controlled
hand lowering a sensor hard hat recorded to paper by hand bad 80’s hair

This oceans
are changing
in our lifetime
Annual Sea Ice Minimum - 1980
Image Source: NASA (svs.gsfc.nasa.gov)

This oceans
are changing
in our lifetime

This oceans
are changing
in our lifetime

This oceans
are changing
in our lifetime
Reason 2: My kids

Scott
Glenn
Josh
Kohut
Oscar
Schofield

Biological Pump

Global Carbon Cycle
Gas Exchange Between

Air and Ocean
Net Accumulation
in Ocean
Rivers and
Photosynthesis watersheds
Respiration
Circulation
Ginger Armbrust
Global Carbon Cycle
Combustion Land Use

Gas Exchange Between Changes
Air and Ocean
Net Accumulation
in Ocean
Rivers and
Photosynthesis
Respiration watersheds
Geological
Reservoir
Circulation
Ginger Armbrust
So lets go to the office

LTER Palmer has maintained a 17 year time series along the West Antarctic Peninsula
Current team Our Current grid
Karen Baker (Scripps)

- Data management
& Informatics
Bill Fraser (Polar Associates)
- Penguins & Fish
PI Hugh Ducklow (MBL)

Bacteria-Biogeochemistry
Scott Doney (WHOI)

- Ocean Modeling
Beth Simmons (Scripps)
- Education &
Outreach
Oscar Schofield (Rutgers) - Phytoplankton Sharon Stammerjohn (UCSC)

Acknowledgements to past LTER PIs: Ray Smith,
Doug Martinson (LDEO) - Ocean Physics - Climate and Ice Barbara Prezelin, Robin Ross, Langdon Quetin, Dave Karl, Maria
Debbie Steinberg (VIMS) - Zooplankton Vernet, Eileen Hoffman, John Klinck
The central hypothesis when the LTER began was that sea ice timing and magnitude structure the productivity
and composition of the Antarctic ecosystem. The ice dynamics are driven by large-scale interactions of the
atmosphere and ocean.
Winter 2007 Summer 2007

Temperature Trends (degrees C per year)
-0.2 0.2
Feb 1979 Feb 1999
Perennial
Ice
Perennial Perennial
Ice Ice
0 50 100
Sea Ice Concentration (%)
The WAP peninsula is experiencing the largest winter warming on Earth
Air temperature
increases over the Sea ice duration drops
Mean Winter Temperatures peninsula
Black is British Faraday & Ukraine Vernadsky Station

Red is US Palmer Station


Larson-B ice shelf after its collapse
Thanks to BAS & A. Clarke

Day 1 Day 3
Day 10
In 2008 the Wilkes
Ice Sheet followed
the Larson Ice Shelf
and began to
collapse

April 6, 2009
March 31, 2009

Melt pools on surface of King George VI Sound
(from a BAS twin otter, January 2004)

Seasonal ice has
declined over the 1 5
Sea ice data
courtesy of E.
few decades b Chapman
Fe
%
resulting to a
I ce
climate migration y 1
co
a
ve
to the South M
r
0 0
20
a r
e Y
8 0
19

Seasonal ice has
declined over the 1 5
Sea ice data
courtesy of E.
few decades b Chapman
Fe
%
resulting to a
I ce
climate migration y 1
co
a
ve
to the South M
r
0 0
20
a r
e Y
8 0
19
Key Implications:
Regional shifts in the sea
ice has major ecological
implications
Palmer Station in the present
photo by Bill Fraser

Plants at Palmer Station,
the greening of Antarctica

Heat input from Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC - world’s largest ocean current =
~30,000 Niagara Falls). The heat is driven onto the shelf by intensification of upwelling-
favorable winds.

favorable winds.

favorable winds.
The WAP is the

only location in the
Antarctic where the
ACC is adjacent to
the shelf break. The
ACC is Antarctica’s
warmest water

Heating on the WAP is driven by circulation and intrusion of the of the ACC onto the WAP
continental shelf. Using decadal averages of the scant data, there was a jump after the year 2000.
1990-2004 Mean Qslope =(3.83 + 0.07) * 105

4
~0.7 C warming of 300 m

column of water below
Qslope (*109 J/m2)

winter mixed layer
1930-1989 Mean Qslope =(2.98 + 0.16) * 105

3
ms about μ
number of profiles per average
2 4 2 1 1 7 2 22 18
1930 1950 1970 1990 2010
Year
Thanks to
Doug
Martinson
The decadal changes have resulted changes in the phytoplankton
The change in chlorophyll since the 1970’s
The changes driven by a decline in sea

ice, wind and sun
Montes Hugo et al. Science 2009

When chlorophyll is high, phytoplankton cells are big and are largely
diatoms
Montes Hugo et al. 2009

100µm
Thalassiosira antarctica
Corethron criophilum
Palmer Cryptophytes --> 8 ± 2µm
10µm
SEM Micrographs fromMcMinn and Hodgson 1993 Cryptomonas cryophila

Who will dominate the warmer WAP?
Prymnesiophytes Diatoms Cryptophytes
Proportion of total chlorophyll
1
a associated with diatoms
0.8 34
0.6
Salinity
0.4
33
0.2
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 32
-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
Proportion of total chlorophyll a
associated with cryptophytes Temperature (°C)
Moline et al. GBC 2004
Salinity (p.p.t)
33.3 33.6 33.8
Palmer Station
65°S
Antarctic
Peninsula
64°W
% Cryptophytes
0 25 50
65°S
Moline et al.
GBC 2004
Moline et al.
GBC 2004
Zooplankton are dominated by krill or salps
Krill greatest biomass of any animal on earth

100
80 McClatchie and Boyd 1983
60
40
20
0
% Retention by Krill
5-10 >15
100 Boyd et al. 1984

80
60
40
20
0
5-10 >15
50
40 Quetin and Ross 1985
30
20
10
0
5-10 >15
Phytoplankton Size (µm)

From Loeb et al., 1997
Krill:Salp
Ice Index
100
6
10
1
4
0.1
2
0.01
0.001
80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96
Krill:Salp
100
R 2 = 0.56 Year
10
0.1
0.01
0.001
2 4 6
Ice Index
Krill:Salp
100
10
0.1
0.01 R 2 = 0.63
0.001
-4 -2 0
Mean Air Temperature (°C)

Is there an impact on higher trophic levels?

ADELIE (% CHANGE)

19
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
75
19
76
19
77
19
78
19
79
19
80
19
81
19
82
19
83
19
84
19
85
19
86
19
87
19
88
19
89
19
90
YEAR
19
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
BREEDING POPULATION CHANGE (%)
19
96
19
Adelie
97
Gentoo
19
Chinstrap
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
GENTOO & CHINSTRAP (%

CHANGE)
One focus idea of the LTER is testing, is that system is undergoing climate migration. We
have structured sampling around the major Adelie penguin breeding areas along the
peninsula.
Summer
foraging
areas for Adelie
penguins
To be expanded by NASA
Winter grant awarded in Dec.
foraging
areas for Adelie
penguins

Anvers Island
Anvers Island
Changing diets for the
Adelie penguins

Adelie penguins
1%
1%
1994-
Krill
present Fish
Other
98%

Adelie penguins
1%
1%
1994-
Krill
present Fish
Other
98%
1%
1995- 45%
54%
present

NORMALIZED OTOLITH ABUNDANCE IN DIET SAMPLES
-0.5
2.5
1.5
2
0.5
1
-1
0
19
74
19
75
19
76
19
77
19
78
19
79
19
80
19
83
19
87
19
Silverfish
88
19
89
19
90
19
YEAR
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
Lanternfish
19
95
19
96
19
97
LANTERFISH
19
98
19
99
20
ANTARCTIC SILVERFISH
00
20
01
If that was not enough, warmer temps leads to more moisture and
more snow. Breeding failure...........

Ice-avoiding species % chan
Chinstrap penguins
Adelie penguins Gentoo penguins
Weddell seals Fur seals
Elephant seals
100 7000
6000
80
5000
60 4000
3000
40
2000
20
1000
0 0
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
Ice-dependent sp
YEAR

Dec 30, 2008
to
Feb 06, 2009
2009
represented
the beginning
of the next 6
year effort of
the LTER.
The grid has
expanded to
the south.

Dec 30, 2008
to
Feb 06, 2009
2009
represented
the beginning
of the next 6
year effort of
the LTER.
The grid has
expanded to
the south.

2009 LTER heads to Charcot to see if a penguin colony exists as predicted

Where are we headed? We need your help to communicate what
we find as it happens

Good bye my friend,
I hope you come back

Old Day Communication
HAM Operator Coms Palmer Station 1988

70 West 69 West
Old Day Communication Brave New Rothera

Adelaide Station
Day Island
68 South
WHOI Drifter
Ocean RU05 Plan

Station RU05 Actual
Obama
RV Gould
Rothera
Real time Base
comms
HAM Operator Coms Palmer Station 1988
Rutgers
COOLroom
What is like working at sea?

We leave from Patagonia in southern Chile

Move onto Unpack supplies Tie everything Build water
ship and build down equipment
lab

The crossing is
about four days,
it is usually rough
so you can’t
work outside.
Alot of the
people usually do
not feel good.

Welcome to Palmer Station

Living at
station you
work all
the time,
but the
scenery
and local
animals are
fun and not
scared of
humans

When ships starts sampling stations instruments are
lowered each time. They are controlled from the ship.
Water is collected, samples are then filtered for later
biochemical analysis and some samples are incubated to
provide a set of measurements.

Moorings
and
sediment
traps are
deployed


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My journey to study the world’s oceans and challenges/

opportunities for the next generation of ocean explorers.

Monday, November 15, 2010

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon: Dr. R. K. Pachuauzri

Knowledge (WHAT DO WE KNOW?)

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

Unfortunately scientists sometimes do not

Monday, November 15, 2010

translation, “milk in my coffee please”

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

Mom is an artist and baker

Dad was a wine maker

Yes, from them I was taught how fun &

Mom is an artist and baker

BUT I WAS DIFFERENT.....

Dad was a wine maker

Yes, from them I was taught how fun &

Monday, November 15, 2010

Many instruments required human power

Monday, November 15, 2010

Many instruments required human power

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

Annual Sea Ice Minimum - 1980

Image Source: NASA (svs.gsfc.nasa.gov)

Annual Sea Ice Minimum - 2007

Image Source: NASA (svs.gsfc.nasa.gov)

Annual Sea Ice Minimum - 2007

Image Source: NASA (svs.gsfc.nasa.gov)

Annual Sea Ice Minimum - 2007

Image Source: NASA (svs.gsfc.nasa.gov)

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

Gas Exchange Between

Combustion Land Use

Monday, November 15, 2010

Karen Baker (Scripps)

PI Hugh Ducklow (MBL)

Scott Doney (WHOI)

Oscar Schofield (Rutgers) - Phytoplankton Sharon Stammerjohn (UCSC)

Winter 2007 Summer 2007

Monday, November 15, 2010

Black is British Faraday & Ukraine Vernadsky Station

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

March 31, 2009

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

few decades b Chapman

Monday, November 15, 2010

few decades b Chapman

photo by Bill Fraser

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

The WAP is the

Monday, November 15, 2010