Suggested Searches

Ocean Science at Ames

Shallow coral reef sea turtle and fish underwater

What is ocean science?

The oceans cover over 70% of the Earth’s surface and are teaming with life; from the surface down to the depths, and from microscopic plankton to 200-ton blue whales. Oceans are also deeply connected to life across the planet through the carbon and water cycles.

Scientists studying the ocean measure and observe marine life, ocean currents and eddies, biogeochemistry, ecosystem change, and sub-surface dynamics invisible to the naked eye. By doing so, we can better understand ocean processes, and how they interact with the atmosphere, land and coasts, and organisms.

Why is it important?

Ocean phytoplankton, powered by the Sun and taking in carbon dioxide, provide most of the oxygen we breathe. Circulation patterns of the oceans are the life support of our planet, regulating weather and climate. The ecosystem services of the oceans also provide a source of food, medicine, transportation, recreation, and income for humans around the globe.

Ocean Missions & Projects

The oceans are a vital piece of the Earth’s ecosystem, and connected to all life on the planet.

Various missions and projects across the Earth Science Division at NASA Ames study the ocean and it’s role in Earth’s systems. These missions and projects cover everything from animal tracking (the Internet of Animals) to coral reef restoration (US Coral Reef Task Force) to ocean circulation modeling (AMOC).

Read More About Ocean Missions and Projects
Thin stretches of dark green islands veer together like a capital A. Sandbars rim these islands in a pale blue, which becomes a vibrant teal as the water gets deeper before blending into the deep blue of the ocean.
An aerial view of Palmyra Atoll, where animal tracking data now being studied by NASA’s Internet of Animals project was collected using wildlife tags by partners at The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and several universities.
The Nature Conservancy/Kydd Pollock

Subject Matter Experts:

Photo of Juan Torres-Perez

Juan Torres-Pérez

Specialties: tropical coastal marine ecosystems ecology; field spectroscopy; coastal water quality; remote sensing

Liane Guild

Specialties: terrestrial and coastal and inland water ecology; airborne and field remote sensing instrumentation and field sampling; leading combined airborne and field campaigns

dan_whitt

Daniel Whitt

Specialties:  ocean and Earth system modeling and state estimation, oceans in a changing climate, physical controls on ocean biogeochemistry, upper ocean physics and air-sea interaction processes, North Atlantic, Equatorial Pacific

Morgan Gilmour

Specialties: tropical marine ecosystems ecology; seabirds; ornithology; marine protected areas; animal telemetry

Ocean Stories at Ames

Explore stories related to the work NASA Ames Earth Science Division is doing in the realm of ocean science.

Article
7 min read

What is a Coral Reef?

Article
7 min read

NASA Project in Puerto Rico Trains Students in Marine Biology

Article
5 min read

Surfing NASA’s Internet of Animals: Satellites Study Ocean Wildlife

Article
7 min read

A peek behind the OCEANOS curtain: PI Juan Torres-Perez reflects on the origins of the OCEANOS program and its pilot year