June 2023 — Melting Glaciers
Wei-Jun Cai, an expert in marine chemistry at the University of Delaware, is sounding new alarm bells about the changing chemistry of the western region of the Arctic Ocean, where he and an international team of collaborators have found acidity levels increasing three to four times faster than ocean waters elsewhere.
They also identified a strong correlation between the accelerated rate of melting ice in the region and the rate of ocean acidification, a perilous combination that threatens the survival of plants, shellfish, coral reefs and other marine life and biological processes throughout the planet’s ecosystem.
The new study, published in Science, is the first analysis of Arctic acidification that includes data from more than two decades, spanning the period from 1994 to 2020.
To learn more, check out this month’s episode of Sea Talk, or read this recent UDaily story.
Notable Dates in June
June is National Ocean Month, a time to celebrate and learn about our world ocean. Check out the NOAA’s official celebration page for ways to learn and explore.
June 5 — The 2023 World Environment Day campaign #BeatPlasticPollution calls for global solutions to combat plastic pollution. Learn more at the official webpage.
June 8 — On World Oceans Day, people around our blue planet celebrate and honor our ocean, which connects us all. Get together with your family, friends, community, and millions of others around our blue planet to start creating a better future. Learn more at the official webpage.
June 15 — Global Wind Day is a worldwide event that encourages discovering wind energy, its power and the possibilities it holds to reshape our energy systems and to decarbonize our economies and boost jobs and growth. To learn more about wind power in Delaware, visit the official webpage of UD’s Center for Research in Wind.