US Dismantles $368 Million Irminger Sea Moorings, Jeopardizing AMOC Data
Updated
Updated · Carbon Brief · Jun 9
US Dismantles $368 Million Irminger Sea Moorings, Jeopardizing AMOC Data
3 articles · Updated · Carbon Brief · Jun 9
Summary
Two Irminger Sea moorings slated for removal are part of OSNAP, a trans-Atlantic array tracking the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation east of Greenland.
The cuts come under a plan to descope the $368 million Ocean Observatories Initiative, stripping sensors that gather real-time current, temperature, pressure and biochemistry data.
Scientists say the loss hits an AMOC observing system already in “critical condition,” with a Nordic-backed review warning OSNAP and the RAPID array face material funding exposure within 18 months.
Twenty years of measurements show the AMOC is slowing, but researchers say 40-60 years of continuous observations are needed to separate a climate-change signal from natural ocean variability.
The funding strain extends beyond the US: OSNAP relies on five countries, the US provides about half its support, and UK backing for RAPID and OSNAP is also at risk from 2027.
As extreme weather worsens, why is crucial climate monitoring infrastructure being dismantled?
With record heat guaranteed by 2030, are global adaptation plans dangerously behind schedule?
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U.S. Dismantles $370 Million Ocean Observatories Initiative, Creating Critical Blind Spot in Global Climate Monitoring
Overview
The Trump Administration announced the dismantling of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), a vital ocean monitoring network, despite Congress rebuffing repeated attempts to cut its funding by 80% in 2025 and 2026. In response, OOI managers tried to save the program by reducing data collection, but the National Science Foundation began a phased shutdown in June 2026, targeting key arrays like Endurance, Pioneer, Station Papa, and Irminger Sea. This descoping process marks a significant loss of real-time ocean data, undermining the ability to monitor climate systems and leaving critical gaps in scientific understanding.