Scripps Institution of Oceanography

?? ? By harnessing the power of supercomputers, a team of scientists from Scripps Oceanography, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center uncovered that small-scale ocean processes may have a far greater impact on storm development than previously believed. These findings indicate that allocating computing power to high-resolution models that capture small-scale interactions could improve predictions of storm intensity and rainfall. Future research will investigate how these mechanisms impact phenomena like atmospheric rivers and aim to quantify their overall influence on storm intensity. Head to the link in the comments to learn more.

?? Heading to SXSW? ?? If you’ll be in Austin next week, be sure to check out the SXSW panel "The Quest to Capture Carbon and Bend the Curve.” Scientists, innovators and filmmakers will discuss the importance of tracking carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, the development of new tools that will help us work towards a more sustainable future, and the curiosity and collective action needed to get us there. ??? March 10 ?? 10 – 11 a.m. CT ?? Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon A Add this panel to your schedule with the link in the comments. ??

?? Passionate about our planet? ?? Skilled in climate communication? ?? Ready to shape climate policy? The Scripps Oceanography Master of Advanced Studies in Climate Science and Policy could be your next step! This program equips graduates with the knowledge and skills to drive real change—helping governments and industries meet energy reduction, climate mitigation, and adaptation goals. Our alumni are leading the way in transforming society to tackle the climate crisis. Learn more and apply by March 19!

Happy to have you here on #WorldWildlifeDay. This year's theme is Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet, and what better way to acknowledge this theme than by sharing news that aligns perfectly with this mission? Last month, a study led by Scripps Oceanography marine biologist Octavio Aburto unveiled a comprehensive framework for Marine Prosperity Areas. These areas are designed to bring together governments, non-governmental organizations, and local stakeholders to champion Marine Prosperity Areas as a cornerstone of global conservation efforts, committing to the investments and partnerships necessary to build a sustainable future. Swim over to the link in our comments to learn more about how Marine Prosperity Areas align human well-being with the restoration of designated marine and coastal environments. ??: Octavio Aburto / @maresmexicanos

???? El Ni?o and La Ni?a aren’t always predictable, and atmospheric rivers might be the missing piece of the puzzle! New research from Scripps Oceanography scientists finds that atmospheric rivers explain the majority of atypical El Ni?o Southern Oscillation years. The study—which was supported by the California Department of Water Resources and the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center—shows that atmospheric rivers can overwhelm the influence of El Ni?o and La Ni?a on annual precipitation totals in the American West. “Atmospheric rivers are the precipitation wildcards in the Western U.S.,” said Rosa Luna-Ni?o, a postdoctoral scholar at Scripps and lead author of the study. “One or two atmospheric rivers can turn it into a wet year, but a weak atmospheric river season can turn it into a dry year. This means we can’t trust El Ni?o and La Ni?a completely to make accurate water year predictions.” Learn more about the study published in the journal Climate Dynamics. ??

?? Calling all fisheries experts, ocean scientists and marine resource economists: The North American Association of Fisheries Economists (NAAFE) Forum 2025 is coming to San Diego March 24 through 27, hosted by Scripps Oceanography’s Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation! Topics covered at the event include: ?? Climate impacts on fisheries and aquaculture ?? Seafood markets, trade, and climate considerations ?? Equity and environmental justice economics ?? Economic and social analysis of fishing and coastal communities Learn more about the event, and register by Feb. 28. ??

???? El Ni?o and La Ni?a aren’t always predictable, and atmospheric rivers might be the missing piece of the puzzle! New research from Scripps Oceanography scientists finds that atmospheric rivers explain the majority of atypical El Ni?o Southern Oscillation years. The study—which was supported by the California Department of Water Resources and the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center—shows that atmospheric rivers can overwhelm the influence of El Ni?o and La Ni?a on annual precipitation totals in the American West. “Atmospheric rivers are the precipitation wildcards in the Western U.S.,” said Rosa Luna-Ni?o, a postdoctoral scholar at Scripps and lead author of the study. “One or two atmospheric rivers can turn it into a wet year, but a weak atmospheric river season can turn it into a dry year. This means we can’t trust El Ni?o and La Ni?a completely to make accurate water year predictions.” Learn more about the study published in the journal Climate Dynamics. ??

???? ?? Wave hello to Fernando Melendez Vazquez, a Scripps Oceanography PhD candidate studying marine biology, with a focus on fish evolutionary biology. ?? He is currently researching the evolution of unique traits across the fish tree of life. ?? Fernando's fascination with the natural world started at an early age on the shores of Puerto Rico and led to his pursuit of marine biology as a career. In addition to his research, he's also passionate about outreach and science communication—he never misses an opportunity to give tours of the Marine Vertebrate Collection to visiting scholars and groups and is frequently featured on Scripps' social media channels doing outreach videos about fishes and marine biology. “More than anything, I’ve found that the best part of marine biology isn’t the traveling or diving—it’s the people you do the science with,” says Fernando. Learn more about Fernando’s research: https://bit.ly/4hXyNcQ

?? ??? Cheers to 60 years! For six decades, the Hydraulics Lab at Scripps Oceanography has been making waves—literally. From simulating ocean environments to testing coastal resilience solutions to housing a community-minded makerspace, the Hydraulics Lab serves a wide variety of projects and research for not only the UC San Diego community, but also scientists from all around the world. Swipe to take a trip down memory lane, and head over to this link to learn about this innovative space: https://lnkd.in/gD8fTxKx Photo 1: The Hydraulics Lab exterior photographed in 1983 by G. Lopez. Photos 2 and 3: Working on projects in the Hydraulics Lab, photographed in 1983 by G. Lopez. Photo 4: UC San Diego students in the Observational Physical Oceanography class build and test handheld CTDs in the Sandbox Makerspace, photographed by Erik Jepsen. Photo 5: The Scripps Ocean Atmosphere Research Simulator (SOARS) is the only instrument in the world capable of studying the current and future ocean and atmosphere boundary layer. Photographed by Erik Jepsen.

???? Big congratulations to Scripps Oceanography geophysicist Vashan Wright for receiving the prestigious Sloan Research Fellowship! Awarded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, this fellowship recognizes early-career scientists embodying the creativity, ambition and rigor that drive discovery forward. Vashan's work unravels the mysteries of Earth’s subsurface, helping us better understand the geological processes shaping our planet. He leads the Scripps Tectonorockphysics Lab, where he and his team analyze sediments and rocks from oceans, lakes, rivers and beaches to reveal the granular physics behind geologic processes, especially those involved in inducing or producing natural hazards. Xiaolong Wang, an assistant professor at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, was also awarded a Sloan Research Fellowship for his contributions to computer science. Learn more about these two exceptional scholars. ??