Oceanographers at the College of the Environment recently returned from sea, engaging in cutting-edge research that will yield new insights into how our oceans work.  Part of the Ocean Observatories Initiative, the work involves wiring the seafloor to have a continuous presence in the Pacific Ocean which allows scientists to monitor conditions in real time.  Read more about this work and watch a video that shows some of what the scientists are seeing on the bottom of the ocean. 

As we near the end of the second week of the shutdown of the federal government, it’s fortunate that earthquake activity has been low in Washington state. With one third of the scientists at the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network on furlough, the ability to maintain equipment, let alone response and analysis in the event of an earthquake, is significantly hampered, says PNSN Director and ESS professor, John Vidale. 

Each week we share the latest publications coming from the College of the Environment. In the past week, two new articles co-authored by members of the College of the Environment were added to the Web of Science. 1. Title: Tree growth ten years after residual biomass removal, soil compaction, tillage, and competing vegetation control in a highly-productive Douglas-fir plantation 2. Title: Ozone photochemistry in an oil and natural gas extraction region during winter: simulations of a snow-free season in the Uintah Basin, Utah (OPEN ACCESS!)

For the past 70 years, the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory has conducted ocean research and engineering. Now they are teaming up with a local submersible company to build an innovative five-person submarine that would travel to almost 2 miles below the ocean’s surface. When completed in 2016, it will be the first deep-sea manned submersible project for the UW. 

Closure of the federal government has consequences for many, including those who oversee research programs at the University of Washington.  The Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean (JISAO) – a partnership between UW and the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – is one such unit that is directly affected.  JISAO Director Tom Ackerman talks about what’s at stake in Crosscut.