Research on enhancing Pacific Ocean phytoplankton blooms continues this summer in western subarctic waters. William Cochlan, senior research scientist at SFSU's Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, is part of a team of investigators from the United States, Japan and Canada working to quantify the long-term ecological and chemical effects of iron enrichment on phytoplankton (pictured above) in the Pacific Ocean. Practical application of the process may include the reduction of greenhouse gasses from the earth’s atmosphere due to phytoplankton’s ability to draw down and lock away carbon dioxide. The Ocean Iron Enrichment Experiment (SOFeX) was outlined earlier this year in an SF State News story.

The six-week expedition (July 13 to August 25) aboard the University of Hawaii’s Kilo Moana research vessel will concentrate on waters northeast of Japan. For daily updates on the expedition, the Kilo Moana’s location and reports from chief scientist Mark Wells see the expedition Web site.

Photo: Courtesy of William Cochlan