Oceanography | December 2022
EVERY DECADE OR SO, it is worth revisiting a topic that we
previously covered in Oceanography to provide the community
with updates on progress. This special issue on The New Arctic
Ocean is the latest example. In 2011, we published a special issue
on The Changing Arctic Ocean (https://tos.org/ oceanography/
issue/ volume-24-issue-03) featuring some of the advances made
in polar science resulting from the International Polar Year of
2007–2008. Articles in this current special issue further explore
the continuing, profound, and increasingly rapid changes
occurring in the Arctic Ocean, illuminated by another decade
of advances in data collection, analysis, and computation, and
enriched by infusions of Indigenous knowledge. Continued
warming of the “new” Arctic Ocean, which is already exhibiting
further sea ice decline and “Atlantification,” more coastal ero-
sion, the potential for more frequent and larger harmful algal
blooms, and alterations to ecosystem functioning, among other
significant changes, is of great consequence to local coastal com-
munities’ food security and infrastructure, and some changes,
such as sea ice decline, likely have global implications.
Tom Weingartner led the guest editor team that included
Carin Ashjian, Lawson Brigham, Thomas Haine, Liza Mack,
Don Perovich, and Benjamin Rabe. All are credited with giv-
ing careful consideration to the seven topics covered in this spe-
cial issue, soliciting article contributions from a wide range of
experts who work on Arctic Ocean problems, and shepherding
the articles through peer review—much of which was accom-
plished when the COVID pandemic was still strongly affecting
research and teaching. It is perhaps an understatement to say it
was a challenging time to publish. In addition to giving the guest
editors a shout out for their time, effort, and thoughtful input
that led to an outstanding, well-rounded set of papers, I would
like to thank the US Arctic Research Commission; the National
Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, Arctic Sciences
Section; and the Office of Naval Research for supporting pro-
duction of this special issue.
QUARTERDECK
Ellen S. Kappel, Editor
Upcoming
Oceanography Special Issues
GEOTRACES
Near-Inertial Shear and Kinetic Energy in
the North Atlantic Experiment (NISKINE)
Pacific Marine Environmental
Laboratory: 50 Years of Innovative
Research in Oceanography
Building Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
in the Ocean Sciences
Sea Grant
tos.org/oceanography
THE ARCTIC OCEAN: ROUND TWO
ARTICLE DOI. https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2022.137
Oceanography | December 2022
Photo credit: K. Jeffries/Ocean Image Bank