Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
The Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL), located in Seattle, Washington, carries out interdisciplinary scientific investigations in oceanography and marine meteorology. Current PMEL programs focus on coastal and open ocean observations in support of prediction of the ocean environment on time scales from days to decades. Studies are conducted to improve our understanding of the complex physical and geochemical processes operating in the world oceans, to define the forcing functions and the processes driving ocean circulation and the global climate system, and to improve environmental forecasting capabilities, and other supporting services for marine commerce and fisheries. You can take a tour of PMEL Research.
PMEL conducts several programs in ocean research. The Vents Program, established in 1984, conducts research on the oceanic impacts and consequences of submarine volcanoes and hydrothermal venting. The program focuses on understanding the chemical and thermal effects of venting along the northeast Pacific Ocean seafloor spreading centers, which provides the foundation for prediction of the global-scale impact of seafloor hydrothermal systems on the ocean. Fisheries Oceanography Coordinated Investigations (FOCI) is a collaborative research effort by scientists at PMEL and the Alaska Fisheries Science Center to understand life stage interactions and environmental processes that lead to changes in valuable fish and shellfish stocks in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. Forecasting these changes provides North Pacific fisheries managers information necessary in commercial fishery allocation decisions. The Tsunami Project seeks to mitigate tsunami hazards in Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska through improved tsunami warnings using state-of-the-art instrument systems developed by the Laboratory's Engineering Development Division. The goal of this project is to reduce fatalities, damage, and losses caused by these natural hazards.
For more information contact:
Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
7600 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
206-526-6239, fax 206-526-6815
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov
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