 |
| Source: Climate Reanalyzer |
As we can see, there is a lot of excess heat being stored in the upper-layer of the ocean. But, a new report indicates it is actually worse than we thought. A paper published in Nature Climate Change says researchers, using data from Argo floating ocean buoys, have found the temperature rise is actually higher than what has been thought - and by a significant amount. The error is attributed to poor data collection in the southern hemisphere. Now, Argo data indicates the sea surface temperature has been rising between 24% and 55% faster since 1970 than previously thought.
That is highly significant.
If you are not familiar with the Argo buoy network, it consists of thousands of free-floating buoys throughout the world. The buoys are designed to float at depth and take direct measurements of the ocean depths down to 2000 meters (surface temperatures can be recorded daily by satellite sensors). After about 10 days, the buoy will inflate a bladder that will make it float to the surface where it will make satellite contact and transmit its data. The buoy will then deflate the bladder and sink again. The battery operated buoys last about four years. The network has been in operation since 2000 and now has about 3500 buoys floating all over the world. This is an obvious upgrade to the old method of collecting data by lowering instruments over the side of research ships. The amount and currency of data is vastly improved and that data is made available to the public via the program website.
One of the consequences of this is the realization of what it means for us here on the land. Eventually, a much warmer ocean will mean a much warmer atmosphere, along with all of the consequences of that warming such as higher utility bills, more expensive food, increased insurance rates and more severe weather.
I'm sorry, I think I just heard another politician say he isn't a scientists but we shouldn't do anything about climate change. I might have been mistaken. It is possible it was the sound of another billionaire counting the money he is making because we still aren't addressing climate change. Its hard to tell because they sound the same.
That's over 1C in around 15 years isn't it - using an 1979-2000 baseline? No wonder the sea level is rising so quickly.
ReplyDeleteAnd, we are seeing such a strong impact on the oceanic systems. It would be kind of like pacing your cocktail drinking based on the thought it was 60 proof alcohol, only to find out it was 80 proof.
ReplyDeleteIt's only a matter of time before we get a big marine life die-off or a major coral bleaching.
ReplyDeleteWe already are. Half of all wildlife had disappeared over the last 40 years.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/29/earth-lost-50-wildlife-in-40-years-wwf
Granted, much of the loss is due to loss of habitat as our population continues to grow or from over hunting/fishing for food, but climate change is a factor as well.
ReplyDeleteWhy is everybody stunned that since the end of the Little Ice Age (1853) the Earth is getting warmer? It seems to me to be expected. For 500 years the seas got colder and glaciers advanced. As the Earth has gotten warmer, the amount of ice and snow on the Earth got smaller, and the oceans have been warming up since then too. With less cold the Earth is warming up faster than it did 150 years ago when there was a lot more ice and snow and cold ocean water to absorb the Sun's heat, because there is a lot less snow and ice and cold ocean water to absorb the Sun's heat..
ReplyDeleteWhat is wrong with you people? This isn't rocket science.
And just to point out reality, the Earth's average surface temperature rose 9 degrees Fahrenheit in the ten years ending the Little Ice Age..
We are concerned because of the reason the planet is now getting warmer. There are no naturally occurring causes for this current warming trend - it is all manmade. You are incorrect when you say it isn't rocket science. In fact, it really is. Climate science is probably the single most complicated science of all. But, that still doesn't explain why you can't get it.
ReplyDelete