SPURS Webinars

The SPURS project represents the collaborative efforts between a diverse group of scientists spanning national and international borders, from multiple organizations. These include, but are not limited to, physical oceanography experts and climate scientists from NASA, researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and research professors from The University of North Carolina, Wilmington, to name a few. The following individuals have been highlighted for the well-received webinar presentations put together with the help of COSEE-Ocean Systems, on their involvement with the SPURS expeditions.

Seeking Salt: Measuring a Key Ingredient of Climate

February 26 – March 12, 2013
Everyone knows that the ocean is salty, but did you know that salt is essential to the recipe for our entire climate and life on Earth? This three-part webinar series focused on how SPURS scientists are seeking to better understand ocean salinity, which affects everything from Earth's water cycle to climate change. Each webinar is paired with applicable Next Generation Science Standards and resources for easy integration into classroom curricula.

Eric Lindstrom 

From Sailing Ships to Satellites: Studying Salinity Through a Sensor Web
Presented by Dr. Eric Lindstrom – February 26, 2013
What is a sensor web, and how does it help SPURS? Dr. Lindstrom takes us on a trip through salinity research, revealing how ocean exploration has evolved over time and the combination of approaches we're now using to to investigate what's happening in the unique "ocean desert" of the North Atlantic.

Ray Schmitt 

Salinity's Connection to Climate Change and an Accelerated Water Cycle
Presented by Dr. Raymond Schmitt – March 5, 2013
What affects ocean salinity, and why should we care? The saltiness of the ocean is controlled by the water cycle. And the temperature and salinity of ocean water together control ocean density - the crucial driver of ocean circulation. Dr. Schmitt explains how ocean circulation works and its profound impacts on the climate.

Fred Bingham 

SPURS Results and the Future of Salinity Exploration
Presented by Dr. Fred Bingham – March 12, 2013
What have we learned about the SPURS site and what's next? The interdisciplinary cruise undertaken by SPURS scientists involved the coordination of an armada of technology - from in-water instruments to shipboard measurements to satellites in orbit around Earth. Dr. Bingham shows us the results of the team's research, including real data collected during the cruise.

Ocean Thinking: Inside and Outside the Box

September 17 - October 1, 2013
SPURS seeks to improve our understanding of the ocean - especially its role in the global water cycle. Three SPURS scientists describe several ways of looking at the ocean in and outside of the SPURS "box" - by examining the motion of water due to density, the dynamics occurring at the skin of the ocean's surface down to depths of hundreds of meters, and attempting to determine the salt "budget" as a result of ocean processes.

Julius Busecke 

Changes in Latitude
Presented by Dr. Julius Busecke - September 17, 2013
It may be easy to think about studying the ocean by looking at a small section of it, but the reality is that water is constantly on the move. While highlighting his own research within the SPURS area, Julius will demonstrate how the atmosphere affects the water cycle both on land and in the ocean, and how the movement of seawater plays a crucial role in our understanding global ocean circulation.

Stephen Riser 

From Skin to Deep
Presented by Dr. Stephen Riser - September 24, 2013
The atmosphere is not the only thing that affects the ever-changing ocean. Using in-water measurement tools such as profiling floats, as well as satellite data from SMOS and Aquarius instruments during the SPURS mission cruises, Dr. Riser has examined salinity changes in the SPURS area from the surface of the water to the depths of the ocean. Ultimately, Dr. Riser is seeking to investigate long term changes – by using a combination of observations from above and below.

Tom Farrar 

Balanced Budget? Oh, Buoy!
Presented by Dr. Tom Farrar - October 1, 2013
Determining ocean salinity trends is not a simple task. With differences in the amount of water, heat, and salt constantly coming and going, as well as gradients across depth and latitude, it’s a challenging task to undertake. Dr. Farrar will share what data from a fixed mooring within the SPURS area can tell us about the overall "salt budget" for one of the saltiest parts of the world’s ocean.

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