Tag: NOC

A two-week mission involving ten marine robots has commenced off northwest Scotland. This latest phase sees the largest fleet of marine robotic vehicles simultaneously deployed in UK waters. The mission comprises seven submarine gliders and three surface Wave Gliders that are working to collect a range of environmental data.

The National Oceanography Centre has launched a new collaborative way of working with the oil and gas industry. NOC will provide innovative science and technology to enable industry to work safely and efficiently, with minimum impact on the marine environment.

As part of a major new collaboration between industry and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), measuring devices have been installed on a cargo shipr to provide oceanographers with vital data on the oceans’ ability to slow the build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Libya's National Oil Corporation(NOC) revealed that the Ras Lanuf, Es Sidra and Zuetina oil terminals would reopen without conditions, and also announced a new initiative to end the use of oil blockades as a political tactic.

Libya’s National Oil Corporation has notified the Presidency Council of an attempt by the parallel administration in Beyda to export oil illicitly from Libya and to circumvent its legitimate monopoly on oil exports.

 The first true three-dimensional picture of submarine canyon habitats has been produced using a unique combination of marine robotics and ship-based measurements. The information captured in this new set of maps ranges in scale from the 200km canyon down to the size of an individual cold-water coral polyp, and will be used to inform the management of the only English Marine Conservation Zone in deep water. This ‘nested map’ is the result of a recent scientific expedition to the Whittard Canyon in the Bay of Biscay, led by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC). It works in a way not unlike a set of Russian dolls, with the most detailed map sitting within a larger scale one, which sits within a larger map still. 

 An orange Roughy in a coral reef taken by the Isis ROVSubmarine canyons are some of the most complex deep-sea environments on this planet, and are known to be potential biodiversity hotspots. Similar to canyons on land, submarine canyons can have steep flanks, with vertical cliffs and overhanging rock formations. Until recently these parts were out of reach for traditional types of marine equipment, which made them the 'forgotten habitats' of the deep sea. By using unique ...

 The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) and the University of Liverpool have entered into a new strategic partnership creating the Institute for Sustainable Coasts and Oceans (ISCO).The new Institute is a collaborative venture that brings together marine scientists, social scientists, engineers and economists to meet the challenges of a changing ocean and a changing coastal population. It will provide the improved connectivity between experts in these different fields and through world-class research will provide the knowledge needed to deliver sustainable management of the coast and our coastal seas.The NOC’s Kevin Horsburgh who will head up the new centre said: "The Institute for Sustainable Coasts and Oceans will build on our already strong partnership with the University of Liverpool to turn marine science into societal benefit, particularly at the coastline and in response to our changing climate. The wider collaboration will boost the quality of our science and will also strengthen both our relationships with industry and the blue economy."The NOC and the University of Liverpool have collaborated successfully for many years, particularly in the areas of ocean climate and sea level rise, observations and computer modelling of complex shelf sea systems, and marine renewable energy. ISCO will develop that research base ...

  19 partners from across Europe have come together to develop Europe’s first ultra-deep-sea robot glider. This glider will be capable of sampling the ocean autonomously at depths of 5000m, and maybe more in the future, for up to three months at a time. This project, which includes the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), has won €8M of funding from the European Union’s Horizon2020 programme to develop and test this innovative new technology. The capability of this new glider to reach at least 75% of the ocean will open up new possibilities for science and industry. These include monitoring submarine biodiversity and conducting environmental impact assessments for potential sea bed mining and exploration.   For example, the new glider will be able to detect the of presence of ‘plumes’ of sediment created by mining processes by using novel sensors developed by the NOC and housed in the ‘nose’ of the glider.  These plumes are an important element of the submarine ecosystem.  Dr Mario Brito, who is leading the project from the NOC, said “The development and integration of sensors that can work at these depths will be a real challenge…it is something that has not been done before and so the ...

NOC is joining six research organisations to provide a world-class marine monitoring and forecasting service

  World Oceans Day, held every June 8th, is the United Nations-recognized day of ocean celebration and action. People all over our blue planet organize celebrations to support action to protect the ocean. This year, the theme is Healthy oceans, healthy planet. The global ocean is the largest and most valuable ecosystem on the planet, and as world population is set to grow to 9 billion by 2050, attention will turn to the ocean for vital resources – food, energy and minerals. Can the oceans meet this demand and survive the impact of pollution and climate change? Research at the UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) is already revealing the oceans’ role in weather, climate and catastrophic events such as hurricanes, drought and flooding. Executive Director of the UK’s National Oceanography Centre, Professor Ed Hill said: “The theme of this year’s World Oceans Day is 'Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet'. The oceans already provide valuable food resources and have the potential to yield so much more. We harvest energy from the sea – oil, gas and, increasingly, wave energy. Rare mineral deposits such as manganese, essential in so much of modern technology, are now being mined. But care needs to be taken ...