Continued observations of the atlantic meridional overturning circulation: the rapid-mocha array

The National Science Foundation Division of Ocean Sciences awarded the University of Miami $2.392 million on August 1, 2026, under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) to continue observations of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation using the RAPID-MOCHA mooring array.

The award extends the observational period at 26.5° North Atlantic latitude to nearly 27 years of continuous measurements of oceanic heat and freshwater transport. Work includes deploying ocean bottom pressure sensors in the western boundary current, conducting glider surveys in the upper 1,000 meters, and analyzing mooring data alongside ocean model outputs. The research clarifies mechanisms driving long-term changes in ocean transports and improves detection and interpretation of circulation changes across the North Atlantic. Data from the project will be made publicly available to operational oceanography centers, ocean prediction efforts, and research groups.

The project runs through July 31, 2031, with performance at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in Key Biscayne, Florida. The work advances understanding of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation weakening by combining boundary-focused mooring observations, drift-corrected bottom pressure measurements, and autonomous glider surveys with high-resolution model diagnostics. The research establishes ocean bottom pressure as a diagnostic tool for monitoring ocean transport and provides a basis for designing ocean observing systems, enhancing predictive capabilities for regional impacts including sea-level rise and extreme weather patterns.

Abstract

This project extends the observational period of an array of moorings in the atlantic ocean at 26.5N latitude to reach nearly 27 years of continuous observations of oceanic heat and freshwater transport. Sensors that record ocean bottom pressure will be deployed in the western boundary current, and glider surveys will make observations in the upper 1000 M, complemented by analysis of mooring data and ocean model outputs. Collectively, these observations and analyses will clarify mechanisms driving long term changes in ocean transports and improve the ability to detect and interpret circulation changes across the north atlantic. The project will make data publicly available for use by operational oceanography centers, ocean prediction efforts, and research groups. This project advances fundamental understanding of the atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) by extending the unique continuous observational record at 26.5N, enabling robust separation of forced trends from internal oceanic variability with uncertainty reductions. By combining boundary-focused mooring observations, drift-corrected bottom pressure measurements, and autonomous glider surveys with high-resolution model diagnostics, the research reveals how ocean bottom pressure dynamics and boundary processes drive large-scale overturning changes - knowledge essential for interpreting observed AMOC weakening and improving climate model predictions. These approaches will establish ocean bottom pressure as a powerful diagnostic tool for ocean transport monitoring and provide a basis for designing ocean observing systems, thereby enhancing predictive capabilities regional impacts including sea-level rise and extreme weather patterns. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.