SOCCOM

SOCCOM
Name	SOCCOM
Acronym	SOCCOM
Established	2014
Institution	Princeton University; Scripps Institution of Oceanography; University of Washington; Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory
Location	Southern Ocean

SOCCOM The Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling (SOCCOM) project is a large-scale observational and modeling initiative focused on the Southern Ocean and its role in global climate change, carbon cycle, oceanography, and biogeochemistry. It integrates autonomous platforms, interdisciplinary teams, and Earth system models to quantify processes relevant to sea ice, Antarctic Circumpolar Current, carbon dioxide, and climate feedbacks. SOCCOM brings together researchers from major institutions to address gaps in observations south of the Subantarctic Front and around the Antarctic Peninsula.

Introduction

SOCCOM was launched to fill observational voids in the Southern Ocean through deployment of bio‑optical and biogeochemical profiling floats, coupling these observations with process studies and numerical models such as the Community Earth System Model and ocean general circulation models used at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and university model centers. The program leverages expertise from Princeton University, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, University of Washington, Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, and international partners including British Antarctic Survey and Australian Antarctic Division.

Objectives and Research Focus

SOCCOM pursues objectives including quantifying carbon uptake and air–sea fluxes of carbon dioxide in the Southern Ocean, understanding controls on ocean acidification near Antarctic continental shelf regions, and improving representation of the Southern Ocean in climate projections used for assessments by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and national assessment frameworks like U.S. Global Change Research Program. Scientific focus spans sea ice dynamics around Ross Sea and Weddell Sea, biogeochemical cycles involving phytoplankton and zooplankton communities, and mesoscale to basin-scale interactions tied to the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and Southern Annular Mode.

Instrumentation and Float Network

The core observational system is a fleet of autonomous biogeochemical Argo floats equipped with sensors for temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, chlorophyll fluorescence, and backscatter. SOCCOM uses technologies developed at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and industrial partners like Teledyne Webb Research and Sea-Bird Electronics. Floats are deployed from research vessels such as RV Polarstern, RV Nathaniel B. Palmer, and RV Roger Revelle and coordinated with shipboard programs like the Southern Ocean Flux Station and time-series programs including OSE (Ocean Station ) methodologies. The network design draws on Argo standards established by the Global Ocean Observing System and the Argo program.

Major Findings and Publications

SOCCOM publications have documented newly quantified seasonal and regional patterns of wintertime carbon uptake and summertime outgassing, revised estimates of Southern Ocean contribution to net global carbon sinks, and identified hotspots of ocean acidification and deoxygenation. Peer-reviewed articles in journals such as Nature, Science, Geophysical Research Letters, and Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans report on topics including under-ice biogeochemistry, float calibration methods, and model–data assimilation improvements. Findings intersect with landmark studies on antarctic krill dynamics, circumpolar heat transport, and paleoceanographic constraints from Antarctic ice cores.

Collaborations and Funding

SOCCOM is a multi-institutional collaboration involving academic partners like Princeton University, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of Washington, Columbia University, WHOI, and international organizations such as British Antarctic Survey and Australian Antarctic Division. Funding has come from agencies including the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and foundations that support ocean science. Collaborative links extend to programs and consortia such as Argo, CLIVAR, GO-SHIP, SOOS (Southern Ocean Observing System), and national research programs like Antarctic Science Program.

Impact and Applications

SOCCOM data and synthesis have influenced global carbon budget estimates used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and informed regional management concerns under frameworks like the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. Results support improvements in seasonal to decadal climate prediction systems run by NOAA, ECMWF, and national meteorological agencies, and inform policy discussions in fora such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Ecosystem applications touch on fisheries management for species linked to Antarctic krill and conservation planning for Southern Ocean protected areas.

Outreach and Data Access

SOCCOM emphasizes open data and public engagement, contributing float data to repositories associated with the Argo program, Global Ocean Data Analysis Project, and national data centers including NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Outreach activities include partnerships with museums like the American Museum of Natural History, educational programs at universities, and briefing materials for stakeholders including Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change authors and national science advisors. Users can access float profiles, calibration notes, and model outputs through community portals supported by partner institutions.

Category:Oceanography Category:Climate science