Listening to the ocean: using data sonification and mathematics to teach students about the role of ocean circulation in climate change

Abstract

Ocean currents play an important role in regulating the Earth’s climate by redistributing ocean heat around the planet. One important climate phenomenon that includes several large ocean currents is the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, which is the process of warm surface currents in the North Atlantic Ocean moving to the Arctic to ultimately form cold currents near the seafloor. This process relieves the tropics of excess ocean heat, which helps reduce the intensity of Atlantic hurricanes. Scientists are concerned that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation may slow, or even collapse, because of anthropogenic climate change. In this activity, students will use selected portions of a four-year dataset of observations of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation to learn about the importance of long-term consistent sampling and data biases. The students will plot their data, calculate the slope between the first and last points, listen to sonified versions of the data, and discuss trends in the data. This activity will also give students the opportunity to build a mooring with craft supplies representing the anchor, cable, scientific instruments, and flotation. There are modifications for the visually impaired via the graphing format, data sonification, and with the tactile nature of the mooring construction.