Oceans

Recording old oceans centre tag.

Latest news

Tonga eruption discoveries defy expectations

23 May 2022

New findings from the record-breaking Tongan volcanic eruption are “surprising and unexpected”, say scientists from New Zealand’s National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).

Guide explores the benefits of combating marine biofouling

10 May 2022

NIWA is contributing to an international effort to help developing countries reduce the impact of biofouling on aquatic-based industries and environments.

NIWA-Nippon Foundation Tonga Eruption Seabed Mapping Project a “rare opportunity” to study effects of Tonga eruption

Media Release

1 April 2022

NIWA and The Nippon Foundation are undertaking a mission to discover the undersea impacts of the recent Tongan volcanic eruption.

Mean heat: Marine heatwaves to get longer and hotter by 2100

Media Release

7 March 2022

New research from the Deep South Challenge: Changing with our Climate and NIWA shows that New Zealand could experience very long and “very severe” marine heatwaves by the end of the century.

Our work

Sea2Cloud – how marine aerosols influence the atmosphere and climate

Clouds over the ocean, and how they trap or emit radiation from the sun, are partly influenced by the biology, biogeochemistry and physics of the surface ocean below.

We need information on the food web structures of our marine ecosystems in order to manage the effects on the ecosystem of fishing, aquaculture and mining, as well as understanding the potential impacts of climate variability and change on our oceans.

New Zealand Ocean Acidification Observing Network (NZOA-ON)

Ocean acidification conditions around the New Zealand coast are being measured to establish baseline conditions and to quantify future change.

Plankton biodiversity in the Southern Ocean

NIWA is conducting a five–year study to map changes in the distribution of plankton species in surface waters between New Zealand and the Ross Sea.

Latest videos

Plankton in the Ross Sea

Plankton are the base of the oceans food web and are vital to our survival. But as our world changes will they be able to continue to play this essential role? Join us as we follow a group of NIWA scientists investigating various aspects of this question in the ocean around Antarctica.

Antarctic science onboard NIWA’s RV Tangaroa

Examining biodiversity and ocean dynamics in the world’s largest marine protected area

Researchers are working their way through a wealth of new Antarctic marine data after RV Tangaroa successfully completed its five week scientific voyage to the Ross Sea.

NIWA's Sarah Searson and Jennie Mowatt

If you want to get accurate scientific readings from the icy depths of the Ross Sea, who do you turn to?

Ocean acidification - What does it mean for Shellfish?

This video has been produced to highlight ocean acidification as a potential issue affecting the NZ shellfish aquaculture industry

Our Far South

A number of people aboard the Our Far South voyage have been sending us beautiful photos of their experience. In this gallery, we showcase some of our favourites. Oldest photos are shown first. Unless otherwise stated, all photos are credited to Our Far South.

NIWA Charts

NIWA produces a wide range of charts, including bathymetry, sediment, and circulation charts.

RV Polaris - Ocean Acidification

For the last 14 years, in collaboration with the University of Otago's Chemistry Department, Dr Kim Currie has run a time series tracking ocean acidification.

AWATEA - Aotearoa Wave and Tidal Energy conference

18 April 2013 to 19 April 2013

NIWA is sponsoring AWATEA's 2013 conference 'Blue energy in the pacific: Powering Innovation'.

For more information see the AWATEA website

New map reveals New Zealand’s seafloor in stunning detail

23 November 2012

NIWA's new Undersea New Zealand map provides a unique insight into the shape of the seafloor in one of the world's most extensive marine jurisdictions.

Scientists discover freshwater flows affect polar oceanic microbes

31 October 2012

An international team of scientists has been studying bacteria that live in Arctic and Antarctica waters.

Modelling

NIWA answers a wide range of scientific questions using ocean modelling. These models can be linked to well established weather forecasting models to predict ocean temperature, sea level and the dispersal of pollution.

Coastal and oceanic dispersal modelling

Understanding how material released into the ocean spreads is very important in the case of oil spills, sediment transport and the release of invasive species.

Echo, Echo: Scanning the Seafloor on R.V. Tangaroa

NIWA ocean geologist Dr Joshu Mountjoy explains how the R.V. Tangaroa's multibeam system is used for bathymetric (seabed) mapping, and some of the benefits which come out of this mapping.

Seabed Frontier: A Brief History of Bathymetry

NIWA marine geologist John Mitchell gives a brief history of bathymetric (seabed) charting, and how it's been carried out over the last few hundred years. (01:18)

Looking to the past for a complete record of earthquakes in Poverty Bay

6 June 2012

Scientists have been working on ways to find out about earthquakes that occurred before oral and written records
began in New Zealand.

Geosciences 2012

25 November 2012 to 28 November 2012

NIWA is sponsoring the Geosciences Society annual conference being held in Hamilton on the 25th to 28th November.

The conference will showcase the broad range of geological and geophysical research that is being undertaken in New Zealand and abroad.

Marine extremes and everything in between

1 July 2012 to 5 July 2012

Marine extremes and everything inbetween is a joint conference between the Australian Marine Sciences Association and the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society (AMSA-NZMSS).

NIWA is sponsorsing prizes for the best student oral and poster presentations at the conference .

For more information about go to the AMSA-NZMSS website

Background

How does NIWA 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. Compared with conventional echo sounders – which direct a single beam of sound to the seabed directly below a ship – multibeams show more detail and greatly reduce ship survey time and cost.

How it works

The hull-mounted multibeam transceiver sends out a beam of sound waves (see diagram below) which are reflected off the seafloor, back to a receiver on the ship.

Vital areas of New Zealand’s seafloor to be revealed in detail for the first time

6 May 2012

New Zealand's largest research vessel Tangaroa sets off today to map, in high resolution detail, the southern Hikurangi Margin - a vital area of seabed off the east coast of New Zealand.

The voyage is part of the Ocean Survey 20/20 project, a 15-year Government project, established in 2004, to survey and explore New Zealand's oceans, to better manage and sustainably develop their resources.

CTD (Conductivity, Temperature and Depth)

Ocean water properties such as temperature are measured directly, while conductivity is used to tell us the salinity. It also captures water samples at different depths for a variety of chemical and biological measurements made either on the vessel or back in the laboratory.

Big Fish, Calm Sea - White Shark Tagging off Stewart Island

Tagging White Sharks off Stewart Island, NZ Scientists from DOC, NIWA, and the University of Auckland are building a unique picture of New Zealand's great white shark population.

NIWA sets sail to study vulnerable deep-sea communities

Media Release

15 April 2012

NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa will set sail this week to explore the biodiversity of deep-sea habitats in the outer Bay of Plenty and southern Kermadec Ridge, starting 80 kilometres off Tauranga.

Spying on our great white sharks

10 April 2012

Scientists have just completed a successful trip to Stewart Island, tagging 23 great white sharks. The sharks were tagged with acoustic and popup tags, and filmed underwater for photo-identification purposes. The tags and photos will allow scientists to investigate the sharks' habitat and behaviour, and to determine the periods during which they inhabit locations such as Stewart Island.

In brief: Tracking pilgrim’s progress

NIWA researchers head to Foveaux Strait this month to look up an old friend. 'Grim', a young male white shark, made headlines in 2010 when satellites followed his epic swim from Stewart Island to Fiji.

Sea-level Rise: Meeting the Challenge

10 May 2012 to 11 May 2012

The New Zealand Climate Change Centre (NZCCC) invite you to attend Sea level rise: meeting the challenge.

This conference includes keynote speakers and presentations from leading international and New Zealand based experts on coastal and sea-level rise issues.