Heat waves are more intense and stay at the bottom of the ocean longer

Many experts and researchers suggest that planet Earth will experience strong heat waves in the coming days; They actually appear to be even hotter at the bottom of the ocean. Oceans absorb much of the excess heat generated by pollution, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change. These are more intense waves that stay deep in the ocean for longer periods of time.

As the researchers explain, this is the first attempt at a study to understand heat waves beneath the ocean surface. The increase in temperature is an impact from carbon production, a human action that can affect the lives of different species, such as corals in the Great Barrier Reef and algae in Australia.

Results from analysis of the impact of high increases in temperatures on the ocean floor show that marine heatwaves have become more frequent in recent years. According to the study’s main author, Eliza Fragkopoulou, Until now, scientists had only studied the heat at the surface of the oceans, so little was known about the ‘hidden’ temperatures in the deep sea.

“Marine heat waves (MCOs) are becoming increasingly common, with devastating effects on ecosystems. However, understanding of CMOs relies almost exclusively on sea surface temperature, with limited information available about their properties at shallow depths,” the study explains.

Heat waves at the bottom of the ocean

Scientists found that the temperature intensity is highest between 50 and 200 meters below the surface and up to 19% warmer than detected at the top of the ocean.

Duration also appears to be an issue, as the deepest parts of the ocean remain warm for up to two years after cooling at the surface. We investigated in total Data from heat waves recorded at depths of up to 2,000 meters, collected between 1993 and 2019.

Giant-sized fried egg statues placed around Sao Paulo warn of climate change risks as Brazil’s largest city braces for a heatwave that could result in temperatures reaching seasonal records pic.twitter.com/umUKC0vrk6

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 19, 2023

Research suggests that CMOs may influence Earth’s biodiversity patterns, with consequences that could include: Directly affects interactions and processes in our planet’s ecosystems. The North Atlantic and Indian oceans were evaluated as the regions most affected by temperature at depths between one thousand and two thousand meters.

“This may be particularly concerning for up to 22% of the oceans, where high cumulative density coincides with the warmer edge of species distributions, making these areas more susceptible to thermal stress. Subsurface OHMs may therefore be associated with consequent effects on the ecosystem.” together may influence biodiversity patterns. Interactions and processes,” the authors add in the introduction to the study.

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