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 marine resources 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

We monitor the marine carbonate system in all of Alaska’s large marine ecosystems including the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, and Beaufort Sea. This map highlights the oceanographic stations where we have made observations. Data collected at these sites are public access with links on our Data Resources page.

Monitoring OA in Alaska is critical because this region will experience the effects 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 from the atmosphere into the ocean, which may accelerate acidification. We partner with other groups monitoring OA through the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network (AOAN) and the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON).

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, visit us on X @OARC_Alaska or on Bluesky @uaf-oarc-alaska.bsky.social.

News

OARC-produced data are included in a new atlas highlighting ocean acidification variables in the North American coastal region.
Read about the partnership between the OARC, the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), and the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network (AOAN) in the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network newsletter.
Check out the new paper we coauthored with lead author Natalie Monacci on a decade of

marine inorganic carbon chemistry observations in the northern Gulf of Alaska.

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, 2024. View the ’Samples of Opportunity’ site for more information.