Sources Manifest — 80+ Cataloged Sources
The Claw — Research Sources Manifest
Master index of all sources searched and cataloged. Check here before searching to avoid duplicates.
Last Updated: 2026-02-27
Category: Patch Composition & Scale
| Source | URL | What We Got |
|---|---|---|
| The Ocean Cleanup — GPGP Overview | https://theoceancleanup.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch/ | Size, mass, 4 size classes, material types, depth distribution |
| Nature Scientific Reports (2018) — Lebreton et al. | https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-22939-w | Landmark study: 1.8T pieces, 79K tonnes, size/mass breakdown, exponential accumulation |
| National Geographic — Mostly Fishing Gear | https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/great-pacific-garbage-patch-plastics-environment | 46% fishing nets, researcher quotes |
| NOAA — How Big Is the GPGP | https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/how-big-great-pacific-garbage-patch-science-vs-myth.html | Myth vs reality, size clarification |
| PBS — Weighs More Than 43,000 Cars | https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/the-great-pacific-garbage-patch-weighs-more-than-43000-cars-and-is-way-bigger-than-previously-thought | Mass comparisons, public-facing stats |
| Britannica — GPGP Facts | https://www.britannica.com/topic/Great-Pacific-Garbage-Patch | General overview, gyre mechanics |
| Wikipedia — GPGP | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_garbage_patch | History, discovery, Charles Moore |
| PLOS One — Spatial Heterogeneity | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0080020 | Dispersion patterns, patchiness |
| Eos — Below the GPGP: More Garbage | https://eos.org/articles/below-the-great-pacific-garbage-patch-more-garbage | Vertical depth distribution, subsurface plastic |
| PMC — Pelagic Microplastics in North Pacific | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10062330/ | 334 particles/m³, depth exponential relationships |
Category: University Research
| Source | URL | What We Got |
|---|---|---|
| Scripps Institution (UCSD) — SEAPLEX Expedition | https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/journey-pacific-ocean-garbage-patch | 2009 survey, 1700 miles, 100 consecutive samples with plastic |
| University of Miami — Shark Research Program | https://sharkresearch.earth.miami.edu/marine-pollution-a-look-into-the-great-pacific-garbage-patch/ | Marine pollution impact overview |
| Georgetown University — Microplastics Impact | https://commonhome.georgetown.edu/issues/spring-2024/the-mega-impact-of-microplastics-the-reality-of-the-great-pacific-garbage-patch/ | Microplastics health/environmental impact |
| Yale Environment Review | https://environment-review.yale.edu/garbage-island-great-pacific-garbage-patch | Academic overview |
| UH Hilo — Synthetic Seas Paper | https://hilo.hawaii.edu/campuscenter/hohonu/volumes/documents/SyntheticSeasTheGreatPacificGarbagePatch.pdf | Full PDF paper available |
| UH Manoa — GPGP as Gathering Place | https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2023/05/04/pacific-garbage-patch/ | Life aggregating on debris, PLOS Biology study |
| HPU Center for Marine Debris Research | https://www.hpu.edu/cncs/cmdr/ | Marine debris lab, plastic recycling research, 227K lbs processed |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln — Plasma Gasification Thesis | https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1222&context=envstudtheses | Full thesis PDF: plasma gasification of plastic waste |
| Utah State University — Satellite Tracking | https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5096&context=smallsat | Small satellite tracking of GPGP |
| University of Michigan — CYGNSS Microplastic Mapping | (via NASA Earthdata) | Satellite-to-microplastic mapping method |
| ResearchGate — GPGP Outline of Problem | https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360852223_The_Great_Pacific_Garbage_Patch_An_Outline_of_the_Problem | Academic overview PDF |
Category: The Ocean Cleanup (Organization)
| Source | URL | What We Got |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Publications Index | https://theoceancleanup.com/scientific-publications/ | Full list of peer-reviewed papers |
| Research Overview | https://theoceancleanup.com/research/ | GPS buoys, ADIS, aerial drones, AI detection |
| Milestones | https://theoceancleanup.com/milestones/ | Timeline from founding to present |
| 2025 Year in Review | https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/2025-in-review-the-ocean-cleanup/ | 25M kg removed in 2025, 50M+ total |
| GPGP Cleanup Cost: $7.5B | https://theoceancleanup.com/press/press-releases/the-great-pacific-garbage-patch-can-be-cleaned-for-7-5-billion/ | First cost+timeline estimate, $4B accelerated |
| Indiegogo Campaign | https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-ocean-cleanup-feasibility-study | $2.15M raised, 38K funders, 160 countries |
| Microplastics Breaking Down to Deep Sea | https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/great-pacific-garbage-patch-slowly-breaks-down-into-microplastics-to-pollute-the-deep-sea/ | Degradation and sinking patterns |
| Environmental Impact of Cleanup (2025) | https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-00619-w | Nature: evaluating environmental impact of cleaning |
| 75-86% From Fishing Activities | (via scientific publications page) | Source attribution study |
Category: Processing Technology — Core Papers
| Source | URL | What We Got |
|---|---|---|
| ACS Omega — Sustainable Plasma Gasification (2024) | https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.4c01084 | 81% efficiency, 4378.6 GWh potential, economic analysis, ROI 80%, oil yield 0.8 kg/kg |
| PMC — Plasma Gasification Dimensions | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11097155/ | Same study open access, syngas composition H₂ 43.86%, CO 30.93% |
| MDPI — CO₂ Plasma Gasification (2025) | https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/5/2040 | Face mask → syngas via CO₂ plasma |
| Springer — Plasma Gasification Life Cycle (2025) | https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43621-025-01583-1 | Life cycle, emissions, economic feasibility |
| ScienceDirect — Plasma vs Incineration | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378382022003101 | Head-to-head comparison |
| Frontiers — Gasification & Pyrolysis Review | https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2022.960894/full | Comprehensive tech review |
| Nature — Plastics Waste as Energy Solutions (2024) | https://www.nature.com/articles/s44296-024-00007-x | W2E and W2F technology overview |
| GAIA — False Solutions Critique | https://www.no-burn.org/gasification-pyrolysis-plasma-arc-false-solutions-to-plastic-pollution/ | Counter-argument: emissions concerns |
| ResearchGate — Energy Balance 100 TPD Plant | https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Energy-balance-for-100-TPD-thermal-plasma-gasification-plant_fig10_232924683 | Energy balance data: torch 0.447 MWh/ton at 100 TPD |
| PMC — Biomass Plasma Study | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9923668/ | Cold gas efficiency 47.8%, skeptical assessment |
| Science Council — Top 10 Facts Plasma Gasification | https://www.thesciencecouncil.com/projects/plasma-recycling/70-top-10-facts-about-the-plasma-gasification-of-municipalwaste | General overview |
Category: Plasma Gasification Companies
Category: Plasma Torch Hardware & Specs
Category: Shipboard & At-Sea Processing
Category: Nuclear / Offshore Power
| Source | URL | What We Got |
|---|---|---|
| IAEA — Marine-Based SMR Booklet (2023) | https://aris.iaea.org/Publications/2023%20IAEA%20Marine%20Based%20SMR%20Booklet.pdf | Full PDF: SMR designs for marine deployment |
| NuScale — Marine-Deployed SMR | https://www.powermag.com/nuscale-exploring-marine-deployed-smr-power-plant/ | Conceptual design + economic assessment |
| Korean Floating SMR Certified | https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/korean-floating-smr-design-certified | South Korea design certification |
| IAEA — Floating Nuclear Symposium | https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/floating-nuclear-power-plants-benefits-and-challenges-discussed-at-iaea-symposium | Benefits, challenges, international status |
| Akademik Lomonosov | (via multiple sources) | Russia's operational floating nuclear plant, ~1 TWh delivered |
| NRIC Maritime — Idaho National Lab | https://nric.inl.gov/maritime/ | US maritime nuclear research hub |
| MDPI — Floating Nuclear Regulatory | https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/4/3022 | Environmental risks, regulatory dilemmas |
Category: Ghost Nets & Collection Systems
Category: Economics & Crowdfunding
| Source | URL | What We Got |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean Cleanup — $7.5B Cost Estimate | https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/the-great-pacific-garbage-patch-can-be-cleaned-for-7-5-billion/ | 10yr/$7.5B or 5yr/$4B, economic context |
| Surfer — $7.5B Analysis | https://www.surfer.com/news/clean-up-great-pacific-garbage-patch | Public-facing breakdown |
| New Atlas — Price Tag | https://newatlas.com/environment/great-pacific-garbage-patch-ocean-cleanup-price-tag/ | Technology + economics overview |
| Kickstarter Rules | https://www.kickstarter.com/rules | Categories, deliverable requirements, nonprofit rules |
| Kickstarter Prohibited Items | https://www.kickstarter.com/rules/prohibited | What's banned |
| Indiegogo — Ocean Cleanup Campaign | https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-ocean-cleanup-feasibility-study | Precedent: $2.15M for feasibility study |
| Grasshopper — Platform Comparison | https://grasshopper.com/blog/crowdfunding-platforms-kickstarter-gofundme-indiegogo | Kickstarter vs GoFundMe vs Indiegogo |
Category: Satellite & Remote Sensing
| Source | URL | What We Got |
|---|---|---|
| NASA Earthdata — Tracking From Space | https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/news/feature-articles/tracking-ocean-plastic-from-space | CYGNSS satellites, U of Michigan method |
| Science.gov — Topic Pages | https://www.science.gov/topicpages/p/pacific+garbage+patch | Federal research aggregator |
Not Yet Searched (TODO)
- [ ] Japanese university research (Tokyo University ocean engineering, JAMSTEC)
- [ ] European university research (TU Delft — The Ocean Cleanup originated there)
- [ ] Specific Ocean Cleanup scientific papers (individual paper deep-dives)
- [ ] Conveyor belt / mechanical collection system patents
- [ ] Oil rig construction costs and timelines for scale comparison
- [ ] International maritime law re: cleanup operations in international waters
- [ ] Carbon credit / carbon market potential for processed plastic
- [ ] Microplastic filtration technology for the smaller debris problem
- [ ] Environmental impact assessments of cleanup operations themselves
- [ ] SeaChange Ocean Solutions — detailed project status, timeline, contact info
- [ ] PyroGenesis PAWDS — commercial licensing terms, non-military applications
- [ ] InEnTec — partnership inquiry feasibility, pricing structure
- [ ] Government grants (NOAA, EPA, NSF, DOE, EU Horizon)