Coasts and Oceans frequently asked questions

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A collection of answers to commonly-asked questions relating to our coasts and oceans work, including 'What is a mass spectrometer?' and 'What is ocean acidification?'

What is a mass spectrometer?

Much of NIWA's science uses an instrument known as a mass spectrometer. But what is a mass spectrometer, and how to they work?

Did sea-level gauges in New Zealand detect the 2010 Chile Tsunami?

Rob Bell's analysis of the tsunami signature.

Icebergs

Icebergs approach New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic islands every few years.

What impact did the Samoa tsunami have on New Zealand?

A powerful magnitude 8.0 earthquake ruptured the seafloor south of Samoa on 30 September 2009, unleashing a destructive tsunami on Samoa, American Samoa, and northern Tonga (Niuatoputapu).

What is ocean acidification?

Ocean acidification is the name given to the lowering of pH of the oceans as a result of increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.

How do we identify new aquatic species?

Different groups of organisms need trained specialists (taxonomists) to distinguish a new species from one that is already named and scientifically described

How do we map the seafloor?

Multibeam echo sounders emit a fan of sound beams to the seafloor to scan a wide swath of the seabed in great detail. 

Invasive sea squirt (Styela clava) fact sheet

Styela clava at Viaduct Harbour, Auckland, New Zealand.