PFEL's Research Highlighted In National School Publication
Current Status of Accomplishment or Milestone: A recent issue of “Earth in Space”, a monthly magazine for teachers and students of science, included a cover article by PFEL scientists on observed recent climate shifts in the North Pacific.
Background: “Earth in Space” is a monthly magazine published by the American Geophysical Union. It features articles by scientists about their research and themselves. The goal of this magazine is to expose high school science students and teachers to exciting scientific studies, through the publication of results that mean something to them.
Purpose of Activity/Goal of Project: As part of the ongoing research at PFEL to understand climate variability and its impacts on fishery populations, a series of scientific publications are prepared that summarize the significant results of this work. This serves to distribute our results among our scientific colleagues and fisheries managers.
Description of Accomplishment and Significant Results: Some of these recent results were published in Eos, in an article by Frank Schwing and Chris Moore entitled “A Year Without Summer for California, or a Harbinger of a Climate Shift?”. This article, written for a general scientific audience, provided recent observational evidence that physical and ecological conditions in the North Pacific have switched suddenly, indicating a possible climate regime shift. It stirred enough interest that “Earth in Space” chose to republish it as a cover article.
Significance of Accomplishment (e.g., to the Center, to Management, and to NMFS Strategic plan Goals): The inclusion of this article in “Earth in Space” exposed thousands of students and their teachers to some of the research being conducted by the SWFSC and NMFS. It demonstrates the relevance and societal importance of NMFS research to them.
Problems: None.
Key Contact: Franklin B. Schwing (831-648-9034; fschwing@noaa.gov).