Oceans of Carbon Understanding the Oceans' Changing Chemistry along the West Coast

The NOAA research ship Ronald H. Brown will dock at the Exploratorium May 21 and 22-the midway point of a month-long expedition to study the Pacific Ocean's changing chemistry and its impact on marine organisms. Join three of the ship's scientists to hear about the increasing acidity of ocean water, and how it's harming sea snails and other marine organisms.

Ocean acidification-a global process in which the ocean absorbs excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere-is already interfering with the shell-building capacity of West Coast oysters and pteropods-tiny free-swimming sea snails that are food for salmon and herring.

Simone Alin and Richard Feely, both marine chemists from NOAA's Pacific Marine Environment Lab, and University of Washington marine biologist Nina Bednarsek, will share observations from their cruise and discuss their ongoing research on ocean acidification on the California Current ecosystem.

After the talk, expedition scientists will share live pteropod specimens in the East Gallery.