The temperature of the ocean reached a record for 100 thousand years: what will happen next

10 May 2023, 22:10 | Technologies
photo Зеркало недели
Text Size:

In early April, the global ocean temperature set a new record, rising to 21.1 degrees Celsius.. This is 0.1 degrees higher than the record levels of 2016.. But as Nature notes, the figure came as no surprise to scientists who have long predicted that temperatures would rise..

Remarkably, it happened before the El Nino event, which is expected to bring warmer weather to the eastern Pacific region later this year.. This means warmer temperatures will continue or even rise, leading to more extreme weather and heatwaves that will create problems for marine life, from corals to whales..

[see_also ids\u003d"

“Probably next year we will have a series of record highs. The coming year will be crazy if El Nino really intensifies,"

The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a natural cyclical climate phenomenon. During El Nino, winds over the Pacific weaken or reverse, causing warm waters to infiltrate to the east. El Nino usually coincides with warmer periods, both in water and on land.. The previous record of 21 degrees Celsius was recorded during a very strong El Nino event..

The wobble is now in a neutral phase, but scientists predict El Nino could develop this year. The World Meteorological Organization estimates the probability of developing El Nino during the period from May to June at 60%, and by October - at 80%.

Andrew Leising, an oceanographer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Southwest Fisheries Science Center, expects Pacific waters off the US coast to be unusually warm this summer and fall.. If El Nina develops as expected, it "

Such heat waves can be detrimental to marine life.. Strong heatwaves on the US Pacific coast could shrink many species into a narrow strip along the coast, Leising said.. This can push whales closer to shore, causing them to collide with ships and become entangled in fishing nets..

When heatwaves reach the shore, they can stimulate harmful algal blooms that can interfere with the growth of mussels and crabs.. However, there is currently an unusually strong rise in cold water along the US West Coast that could protect against some warming this year..

Before the temperature record in April, some regions of the Southern Hemisphere were affected by marine heatwaves that have been observed since February.

Warm waters are particularly stressful for corals. Almost all of the Earth's coral reefs are currently in a zone of high temperatures, which is why they cannot grow..

The last record-breaking ocean temperature year of 2016 coincided with an unusual global coral bleaching event, the third known occurrence.. Bleached corals often get sick and die.

Warmer waters are less likely to retain oxygen, which is also stressful for marine life.. In addition, high ocean temperatures are causing more extreme weather events..

Ocean temperature spike recorded by NOAA and likely the highest in more than 100,000 years coincides with other warming trends. For example, in the Southern Hemisphere in February 2023, sea ice reached a new record low..




Add a comment
:D :lol: :-) ;-) 8) :-| :-* :oops: :sad: :cry: :o :-? :-x :eek: :zzz :P :roll: :sigh:
 Enter the correct answer