First Water Sampling Event of the Year

February 20, 2024

Earlier this year, the first 2024 water sampling event took place at National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa! One of the 19 NOAA Ocean Acidification Program buoys located around the world is stationed within the American Samoa sanctuary's waters. "Ocean acidification" refers to a change in chemistry of the planet's ocean caused by the uptake of extra carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as a result of humans burning fossil fuels. This chemical change makes it hard for marine life to grow their shells and skeletons. The buoy at Fagatele Bay takes measurements of the carbon dioxide in the water and atmosphere daily. To check if the buoy is taking accurate measurements, researchers periodically collect water samples and send them to a lab in Florida for comparison.