Our Work

AOOS currently supports over one hundred projects across Alaska focused on monitoring and understanding our dynamic coastal and marine environments. Our involvement varies from fully funding projects to providing supplemental support for work led by other organizations. We value our partnerships, and through these collaborations we fulfill our mission to sustain ocean observations, share ocean information, and facilitate connections between researchers and Alaskan residents.

Explore our work through the six categories below, or use the catalog feature to search for individual projects. We also have numerous subawards and contracts that are not listed on our website, so feel free to contact us with any questions.
For more information, reach out to AOOS Executive Director Sheyna Wisdom or Director of Operations Carol Janzen.

Project Categories

Coastal Hazards

Enhancing preparedness through data

Community Observing

Supporting local observations of the environment

Ecosystems and Fisheries

Long-term monitoring and data for sustainable resource management

Marine Operations

Real-time data aids navigation and maritime safety

Water Quality

Understanding ecosystem changes to protect human health

Education

Inspiring the next generation of scientists

All Projects

AIS for reporting Arctic Charting

Using Vessel Tracking Data to Prioritize Bathymetric Surveying in a Rapidly Changing Arctic

AK Marine Highway System CO2 Monitoring

Utilizing ferry routes to track marine carbon conditions

Alaska Arctic Observatory and Knowledge Hub (AAOKH)

Arctic Alaska residents share expertise and knowledge of coastal conditions.

Alaska Blob Tracker

Tracking warm water anomolies in the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska HAB Network

Supporting ocean users to understand and address Harmful Algal Bloom risks to humans and wildlife.

Alaska Historical Sea Ice Atlas

Synthesizing sea ice observations from 1850 to present

Alaska Ocean Acidification Network

Working to understand ocean acidification to help Alaskans adapt.

Arctic Marine Biodiversity Observation Network

Multidisciplinary scientists monitor the health of the Chukchi ecosystem

Arctic Oil Spill Assessment

Using AIS and subsistence use data for decision support

Arctic Watch

Enhancing safe, secure, and environmentally responsible maritime operations

Backyard Buoys

Enabling coastal communities to gather and use wave data

Bering Sea Ocean Data Sharing Initiative

Helping to ensure that Bering Sea data is findable and useable

Bering Strait Response Teaching Tool

Drawing on technology to foster dialogue and preparedness for potential oil spills

Burke-o-lators

Analyzing ocean chemistry parameters critical to ocean acidification

Central Beaufort Sea Wave and Hydrodynamic Modeling Study

Observing wind, wave, current, storm, and sediment dynamics on the Beaufort Sea coast

Chukchi Ecosystem Observatory

A multi-sensor mooring for long-term environmental monitoring of the Northern Chukchi Sea

Climate Planning for fishing communities

Supporting fisheries adaptation planning in Cordova, Kodiak, and Sitka

Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Portal

Criticial information about endangered Cook Inlet belugas and their habitat

Cook Inlet Response Tool

Data integration and visualization to advance oil spill response in Cook Inlet

Freezing Spray

Commercial fishermen reporting vessel icing conditions

Gliders

Real-time ocean monitoring using autonomous underwater vehicles

Gulf of Alaska Ecosystem Observatory

Moored dataloggers collect high-resolution biological, physical, and chemical data year-round

High-Frequency Radar

Real-time maps show ocean current speed and direction

Ice Detection Buoy

Mooring system that transmitted real-time water column data in the Chukchi Sea

Increasing Weather Observations with AIS

Transmitting real-time data through Automatic Information Systems

Kachemak Bay/Cook Inlet Alaska Oceanographic Monitoring

Year-round sampling contributes to long-term monitoring of the Gulf of Alaska ecosystem

Kodiak Wave Buoy

Contributing observations to a nationwide network for monitoring waves and beaches

Long-term Ocean Acidification Moorings

Monitoring Resurrection Bay and the southern Bering Sea

Marine Weather Dashboards

Displays of real-time maritime conditions from multiple sources

Monitoring Water Levels and Space Weather Using Global Position Satellite (GPS) Receivers

Using reflectometry water level measurements to fill gaps in critical data

Nalaquq UAV salmon counts

Using local Yup'ik knowledge and drones to monitor salmon runs on local rivers

New Glider Tested in Prince William Sound

Herring Glider Surveys in Prince William SoundThe University of Alaska Fairbanks-College of Fisheries and Ocean ...

Prince William Sound Ocean Tracking Network

Monitoring fish movements and migrations to better understanding population dynamics

Prince William Sound Sentinel Climate Weather Observations

Meteorological stations in Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet

Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO)

Providing weekly reports of weather and sea ice conditions to hunters

Seward Line

Supporting a series of moored oceanographic stations in the Gulf of Alaska

Skipper Science Partnership

Environmental monitoring by commercial fishermen in Southeast Alaska

Southeast Alaska Troller CTD

Alaska fishermen gather year-round data

Western Alaska Storm Models

Building storm surge and wave operational forecasting capacity for Western Alaska

Yukon River Chinook Run Timing

Using environmental information to inform estimates of Chinook salmon spawning runs

Yup’ik Buoys and Drifters

Using Yup’ik knowledge to deploy wave buoys and ocean sensors