# The Impact of COVID-19 on Climate Research and Data Gaps
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Chapter 1: The Disruption of Research
Imagine dedicating two years to an experiment only to see it jeopardized just before completion. This was nearly the case for Emily Bristol, a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin’s Marine Science Institute, when her laboratory was forced to close to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Bristol’s research involves analyzing soil and ice samples collected from the northern Alaskan coastline in 2018. These ice cores, almost 20 feet in length, preserve ancient plant material dating back 40,000 years. Her work aims to quantify how much carbon from melting permafrost enters the ocean and subsequently the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Understanding this process is crucial to predicting the potential impact of the Arctic’s "carbon bomb" in the future.
Fearing the loss of invaluable samples and months of effort, Bristol rushed to gather additional data and sought permission to continue her work before the lab closure. Although she had to delay a planned summer experiment, she has managed to maintain her research by monitoring her samples and seawater models for an hour each week, following social distancing guidelines. "The uncertainty about what will happen next has been quite stressful," Bristol admitted.
Bristol is fortunate compared to many others. In the two weeks following the World Health Organization's declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic, climate research across the globe has come to a standstill. Field trips have been canceled, experiments interrupted, and scientists are increasingly concerned about funding cuts. The consequences of the pandemic may result in significant gaps in climate data collection and halt ongoing studies.
Section 1.1: A Broader Impact on Climate Research
"I suspect that not a single research program in the country remains unaffected," noted James McClelland, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin and Bristol's advisor.
The major MOSAiC expedition, designed to investigate climate change in the Arctic, has been partially halted due to a participant testing positive for the virus and travel restrictions imposed by Norway. Similarly, an annual initiative to study Greenland's rapidly melting ice sheet was also canceled. Researchers involved in the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration, which examines a vulnerable glacier in Antarctica that could contribute to significant sea-level rise, found themselves stranded as nations closed their borders.
The pandemic has even complicated weather prediction. Meteorological centers depend on data from aircraft, which have decreased their operations due to travel restrictions. Reports from aircraft have plunged by 42 percent globally in recent weeks.
As daily life is disrupted, researchers adapt by drafting papers from home and modifying their expeditions as necessary.
Subsection 1.1.1: Last-Minute Changes to Expeditions
Just as a multi-million dollar research vessel was prepared to embark on an ocean survey in the South Atlantic on March 21, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration canceled the mission, according to Lynne Talley, a professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. This expedition was part of an ongoing global oceanography initiative aimed at measuring the ocean's absorption of heat and carbon. Talley emphasized the importance of this data, stating, "It’s really the only source of information about the deep ocean below 2,000 meters."
"We will miss critical data from the Eastern South Atlantic," she continued. "If we don't conduct this research over the next decade, we’ll face a 20-year gap in vital information for this significant region."
In response to the circumstances, the team adjusted their plans, setting sail but remaining close to Cape Town. They deployed specialized floats that will monitor ocean conditions year-round as part of a global program aimed at enhancing climate models. "It's akin to creating a weather network for the ocean," Talley explained.
Section 1.2: Future Uncertainties
As the pandemic continues to escalate, more research expeditions are likely to be canceled. "Summer is typically the busiest season for fieldwork," remarked Robert Max Holmes, deputy director at the Woods Hole Research Center in Massachusetts. "While we haven't officially canceled everything, many projects are in jeopardy."
Moreover, concerns about funding loom large. "With the economy declining, we worry about whether philanthropic support will persist," Holmes added. "This situation is compounded by the pandemic and economic downturn."
McClelland, Bristol's advisor, believes current grants will sustain his marine science research, but he is apprehensive about losing momentum. If critical data remains uncollected and essential papers unwritten, securing future grants could become increasingly difficult.
McClelland is all too familiar with overcoming adversity, having witnessed his lab's recovery from Hurricane Harvey in 2017. "We at the Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas are just now recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey. It took us three years to get back on our feet," he recalled.
Chapter 2: The Path Forward
As researchers navigate these challenges, the need for resilience and adaptability in the face of unprecedented disruptions has never been clearer. The scientific community must remain vigilant and innovative to continue addressing the pressing issue of climate change amidst the uncertainties posed by global events.