UCSD Unveils the Scripps Ocean Atmosphere Research Simulator
UCSD Unveils the Scripps Ocean Atmosphere Research Simulator
Our good friends at Scripps took Ocean Innovations on an exclusive tour of Scripps’ nearly completed ocean and atmosphere simulator. SOARS, short for, the Scripps Ocean Atmosphere Research Simulator, will mimic nature with groundbreaking accuracy. It will capture the interactions of wind, waves, microscopic marine life, and chemistry at the sea surface in a controlled laboratory setting. In this 36,000 gallon, 120ft long wave generator, scientists will be able to generate winds up to 50kph, control air, and water temperature, and induce a wide array of phytoplankton blooms to replicate worldwide ocean/atmospheric conditions. SOARS allows accurate tests that previously haven’t been able to be carried out without outside variables. Adding pollutants such as greenhouse gasses or waterborne pollutants allows for tests that will lead to a deeper understanding of climate change, public health, and marine life protection. We are excited to see the great things to come out of this project.
Images Courtesy of San Diego Union-Tribune, La Jolla Light, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
