Oceans, Space & Science News
Founded in 1995, ARGO.net covers oceans, space, water, and the wider sciences with timely news, clear explainers, statistics, and data-driven stories.
A waterspout is a rotating column of air connected to a cloud and extending over a body of water. The visible funnel consists of condensed water droplets, while spray may rise from the surface below. Despite the name, a waterspout does not pull a solid column of ocean water into the sky. Meteorologists divide waterspouts…
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El Niño and La Niña are opposite phases of a recurring climate pattern in the tropical Pacific Ocean. El Niño features unusually warm surface water in the central or eastern equatorial Pacific. La Niña features unusually cool water in the same broad region. Both phases reorganize tropical winds and rainfall. NOAA’s comparison of El Niño…
Longitude describes a place’s angular position east or west of a chosen reference meridian. Its lines run from pole to pole, forming half-circles that meet at both ends. Combined with latitude, longitude identifies a horizontal position on Earth. NOAA’s guide to longitude and meridians explains why the zero line passes through Greenwich, England. Unlike the…
Latitude tells how far north or south a place lies on Earth. It is an angle measured from the equatorial plane, not a mileage read directly along the ground. A latitude can identify an entire east-west line, so a second coordinate is needed to locate one point. On maps and globes, latitude appears as a…
Modern ships can determine their position with satellites and display it on electronic charts. They carry radar and depth sounders, supported by radios that earlier mariners could not imagine. Yet working lighthouses still mark harbor entrances and isolated hazards at headlands around the world. Their role has changed from being a vessel’s principal guide to…
A coastal lidar survey maps land and water by timing laser pulses from an aircraft. Millions of measurements become a three-dimensional record of beaches, dunes and submerged terrain. The method gives scientists a consistent view across the shoreline, where ordinary land surveys and boat-based sonar each become difficult. NOAA explains that lidar measures distance with…
The law of the sea is the body of international rules that governs how countries use the ocean. It defines coastal zones and assigns rights over resources while protecting navigation. Its frameworks cover marine research and environmental protection, along with procedures for disputes between states. NOAA’s account of the law of the sea traces the…
An iceberg is a piece of freshwater ice that has broken from a glacier or ice shelf and now floats in open water. Most of its mass sits below the surface because ice is only slightly less dense than seawater. NOAA’s iceberg classification sets minimum dimensions for the term. A qualifying piece rises more than…
A high seas forecast describes weather and sea conditions across broad ocean areas beyond coastal forecast zones. It gives mariners wind and wave information needed to plan routes. Storm details are especially important where land-based observations are sparse. NOAA defines high seas forecasts as products transmitted around the world in real or near-real time. National…
Dredging removes sediment or debris from the bottom of a waterway. A machine excavates the material and lifts it through the water. The load then moves to a placement site. The method changes with the sediment and the reason for removal. NOAA’s explanation of dredging emphasizes the steady accumulation of sand and silt in channels.…
A latitude or longitude has meaning only when tied to a defined reference. The same is true of an elevation. A geodetic datum supplies that reference by connecting coordinates to a model of Earth’s size, shape and gravity. NOAA describes a datum as an abstract coordinate system with a reference surface. Surveyors use it to…
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