We’re learning more about EXPORTS — NASA and the National Science Foundations’ epic research project to study the ocean’s carbon cycle, so that information from satellites can make more accurate predictions of global climate change.

We start off on board the Research Vessel Roger Revelle as it, and the Research Vessel Sally Ride, prepare to head to the northeastern Pacific Ocean, with their cargo of scientists and technology. Ivona Cetinić, from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, talks about the value of satellites in understanding the ocean. We tour the wet lab with University of Hawai‘i Oceanographer Brian Popp. We talk with marine biologist Craig Carlson about tiny microbes like bacteria—and their importance to the movement of carbon through the ocean food web. UCSB Postdoctoral researcher, Brandon Stephens shows us a shipping container used as a laboratory for radioactive work. We learn how scientist Joe Cope sorts, identifies, and measures zooplankton collected from nets towed behind the research ship. Bruce Appelgate from Scripps Institution of Oceanography explains the role of ships in studying the ocean. And, the chief scientist for this cruise, Debbie Steinberg, talks about why NASA is engaging researchers in combining satellite data with ship-based measurements of the ocean. 

Watch the trailer for Season 6, Episode 5 on Vimeo or Youtube.

Watch the first EXPORTS episode “On Board the Sally Ride” and the follow-up episode “EXPORTS 3: Tracing Carbon Flow to the Deep Sea.”