OCTET

 

Ocean Carbon Transport, Exchanges and Transformations

 

Welcome to the OCTET Web page. OCTET is a research planning initiative on ocean carbon cycling.

In OCTET, we seek to understand the influence of climate change on processes controlling the ocean carbon cycle, as well as potential feedbacks to the climate system via carbon exchanges among the ocean, atmosphere and land. The central goal of OCTET is a mechanistic understanding of physical and biogeochemical controls that govern regional and vertical partitioning of carbon pools within the ocean and, therefore, the spatial and temporal variations in the partial pressure of CO2 in the upper ocean.

Below you will find a description of the plan and its development.

 

  Ocean Carbon Working Group started (Fall, 1999)

 

  OCTET Prospectus (completed October, 1999)

 

 AGU/ASLO OCEAN Sciences Meeting, San Antonio, TX (January 27, 2000)

An open meeting was held to describe the U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan and present the OCTET, EDOCC, and SOLAS initiatives. Other initiatives and programs dealing with carbon cycle science were also described.

 

  OCTET Planning Workshop (March 7-10, 2000)

The OCTET Workshop was held at Airlie House near Warrenton, VA, to further identify and define an OCTET science agenda, to establish priorities among research questions of interest, and suggest a framework for implementing solutions. Community participation was also invited and short papers received from the scientific community will be included in the report. The Workshop Report is now completed and can be viewed below. A few hard copies are available and can be requested from Cindy Lee.

View Workshop Report.

Questions on OCTET or the process of its development can be addressed to any member of the Ocean Carbon Working Group.

NSF Ocean Carbon Cycle Research planning group formed (April, 2001)

Several agency planning groups were formed to promote carbon cycle research. NSF's Division of Ocean Sciences formed the Ocean Carbon Cycle Research planning group to develop a vision of research priorities in carbon cycle research. The OCCR committee provided OCE advice and assistance with planning the design of an ocean carbon cycle research program. The purpose of this group was to develop a programmatic vision of research priorities rather than a plan for implementing a specific research initiative.

Ocean Carbon Cycle Research Planning Group (2003)

The Carbon Cycle Science Ocean Interim Implementation Group under the Chairmanship of Scott Doney took over the planning efforts working in conjunction with the U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Scientific Steering Group. See their web site at www.carboncyclescience.gov. Planning documents are available at: http://www.carboncyclescience.gov/docs.php.

arrowOcean Carbon & Biogeochemistry (2006-Present)

The Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) program focuses on the ocean’s role as a component of the global Earth system, bringing together research in geochemistry, ocean physics, and ecology that inform on and advance our understanding of ocean biogeochemistry. The overall program goals are to promote, plan, and coordinate collaborative, multidisciplinary research opportunities within the U.S. research community and with international partners.  OCB news can be obtained at:
http://www.us-ocb.org/index.html.