The absence of historical sea-level data for the Pacific over the past 1,000 years hinders our understanding of late Neogene sea-level changes. Data from tectonically stable sites in various Pacific locations suggest that sea level was close to its present level around 1,000 years ago, rose to approximately 0.9 meters above present levels around 700 years ago during the Little Climatic Optimum, then fell during the Little Ice Age before gradually rising again over the past 200 years. Tags: Pacific, sea-level change, historical data, Little Climatic Optimum, Little Ice Age.
Climate services, which provide actionable information about climate impacts, are crucial for Pacific Islands' policy, planning, and decision-making. NOAA, in collaboration with regional partners, has undertaken projects to enhance climate services through capacity building, engagement with users, and tailored information delivery, resulting in better-informed decisions and increased regional coordination.
The U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) are meteorologically characterized by tropical latitudes, consistently warm temperatures, high humidity, and frequent extreme weather events influenced by factors like the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and tropical cyclones. Climate change effects, including rising sea levels and temperature, are impacting these islands, potentially leading to more severe droughts and intense precipitation events, particularly affecting freshwater resources and local ecosystems.
American Samoa boasts rich coral reefs fringing its islands, with coral reef protection integrated into a national system, including management by the National Park of American Samoa and the National Marine Sanctuary Program. The division between American Samoa and independent Samoa is relatively recent, with intertwined pre-Western histories and cultural connections that endure today among all Samoan Islands.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed regression equations for estimating flood-peak discharges, essential for designing infrastructure and managing flood plains. This Fact Sheet focuses on the application of the updated National Flood-Frequency (NFF) Program to rural areas on the island of Tutuila, American Samoa, while noting that new equations have been developed for various regions across the United States.
Oregon State University's PRISM Group conducted a project to create updated climate maps for various Pacific island regions, including the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, CNMI, Palau, American Samoa, and the Federated States of Micronesia. These maps, produced at high resolution, encompassed temperature and precipitation data for the period of 1971-2000, aiding in climate analysis and resource management for these areas.
The dataset provides geotiff maps depicting coral growth and survival favorability in Guam and American Samoa under three climate scenarios, derived from various environmental factors. Scores between 0 and 1 indicate coral conditions, with 0 being the worst and 1 being the best, as detailed in the 2022 manuscript "Where favorable environmental conditions and resilient corals coincide: Guam and American Samoa".
This data table includes in-situ near-shore seawater measurements of excess radon (Rn-222) and water levels collected in Faga'alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa.
Climate change disproportionately affects developing countries due to its impacts on agriculture, water supplies, and natural disasters, jeopardizing progress in poverty reduction and threatening the well-being of billions. The World Bank Group is actively aiding these nations by addressing climate challenges through tailored approaches, encompassing data on climate systems, resilience, emissions, and various sectors like health and infrastructure.
The data described here is from near-shore shallow water Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) casts conducted in Aua Reef, American Samoa, by scientists of the Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). The NOAA Fisheries, Ecosystem Sciences Division established 18 survey sites along the water quality gradient near land-based source pollution. This is part of a larger collection of datasets collected as part of the CRCP-funded project 'Linking watershed management activities to reef health in American Samoa' (project no. 31303).
The Coral Reef Temperature Anomaly Database (CoRTAD) Version 2, developed for coral reef ecosystem applications, offers global weekly sea surface temperature (SST) data from 1982 to 2008 at approximately 4 km resolution. It includes additional years compared to Version 1, and unlike Version 1's HDF4 format, Version 2 is in HDF5 format. The database provides SST metrics, thermal stress anomalies, and parameters like SSTA Degree Heating Week, designed for climate and ecosystem studies to explore the correlation between coral disease, bleaching, and temperature stress.
This dataset analyzes climate exposure, ecological resilience, and social vulnerability to climate change threats in U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands' coral reefs. Derived from NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program surveys, it focuses on ocean temperature increases and coral bleaching impacts, presenting findings in a publication series for Hawaiian Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Developed by scientists from the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center's Ecosystem Sciences Division, the Environmental Data Summary (EDS) tool utilizes survey data funded by the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP), Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), and USAID. This advanced tool, written in R, offers a consistent way to enhance in situ survey data with external environmental data, providing access to NOAA CoastWatch and OceanWatch datasets via the ERDDAP server protocol.
This dataset comprises water temperature data collected through subsurface temperature recorders (STRs) for monitoring seawater temperature variability at permanent coral reef sites in American Samoa. Deployed as part of the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP), these high-accuracy temperature loggers, manufactured by SeaBird Electronics (SBE), operate at depths of 0 to 30 meters along depth transects at Ocean and Climate Change monitoring survey sites for 3 years. Recovered STRs are replaced with new deployments in the same location.
Sea level anomalies in the tropical Pacific, influenced by events like El Niño and La Niña, pose risks to islands due to fluctuations in mean sea level. Advanced climate models and a multimodel ensemble approach offer improved forecasting, aiding Pacific island communities in mitigating the impacts of sea level extremes.
The ability of corals to adapt to climate change relies on the existing genetic variation for climate-related resistance. By genotyping 15,399 single nucleotide polymorphisms in Acropora hyacinthus corals within a naturally variable temperature environment, 114 highly divergent SNPs were identified as potential candidates for environmental selection, indicating the presence of alleles preadapted to high temperatures in the population.
This document, serving as both the Final Management Plan (FMP) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), outlines proposed revisions to sanctuary regulations led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and involves collaboration with the American Samoa Department of Commerce (AS DOC).
Ground-water and rainfall data from Tutuila and Aunuu in American Samoa, spanning October 1987 to September 1997, reveal trends in pumpage, chloride concentrations, and water levels. Noteworthy findings include varied pumpage rates and chloride concentrations, with Aua experiencing record-high chloride levels, while water levels in certain areas remained consistent or declined during the 12-month period ending September 1997.
This tool provides rain data in American Samoa from 1945-2024. The desired year and month can be selected.
Marine biological surveys were conducted at American Samoa on the Island of Tutuila between 21 April - 5 May, 1974. The surveys were in response to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers request for examination of the marine environment where potential storm damage mitigation projects are proposed.