The surface temperature of the world’s oceans has soared to a record high, and scientists have warned that temperatures will continue to rise even further. The global daily average sea surface temperature (SST) reached a blistering 20.96°C last week, slightly beating the previous record of 20.95°C set in 2016, according to data from climate modeling service Copernicus.
Dr. Samantha Burgess, a researcher from Copernicus, expressed concern about the development. “The fact that we’ve seen the record now makes me nervous about how warm the oceans might get between now and next March,” Dr. Burgess said. Interestingly, ocean temperatures usually peak in March, not August. This suggests that rising ocean temperatures could indeed break records at this time.
It is also influenced by El Niño, a recurring climate pattern that involves changes in water temperatures in the central and tropical Pacific Ocean. Researchers see it as a factor driving unprecedented temperatures. Incidentally, 2016 was also an El Niño year.
Oceans play an important role in regulating Earth’s climate. They trap heat, influence weather patterns, act as carbon sinks, and provide respite by circulating cool air that reduces hot terrestrial temperatures. But as ocean temperatures rise, these beneficial functions are compromised.
Warmer water also absorbs less carbon dioxide, leading to higher concentrations of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. The result is a vicious cycle that further exacerbates climate change.
Sea surface temperature measurements date back more than 150 years and are one of the longest surviving instrumental records to help us understand climate. Using this wealth of data, scientists found that global average sea surface temperatures rose by nearly 0.9 degrees Celsius over the entire period of record. In the last four decades alone, temperatures have increased by about 0.6 Celsius.
A 2019 study found these marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent, with the number of heatwave days tripling in recent years. Just as wildfires destroy large areas of forest, these heat waves are also extremely detrimental to marine life.
Read also : Corals Start to Bleach as Ocean Temperatures Hit Record Levels
The impact on humans is also far-reaching. We depend on the ocean for oxygen, food, protection from storms and to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Cycles of increased ocean warming, melting sea ice, and sea level rise are some of the most worrying aspects of climate change. Scientists around the world are closely monitoring these developments to better understand future impacts and develop mitigation strategies.
Source: earth.com
