recent episode fast heating The world’s oceans have caused alarm among scientists, who fear that this will accelerate global warming.

According to the BBC, for scientists did not fully understand why this happened.

However, they argue that, in combination with other weather events, the temperature of the Earth can reach to alarming new levels late next year.

Experts estimate that a major episode of El Niño, a weather system that warms the ocean, is also expected in the coming months.

Warmer oceans could kill marine life, lead to more extreme weather and raise sea levels. They are also less efficient at absorbing greenhouse gases that warm the planet.

News, major study published last week highlights a disturbing development: in the past 15 years, the Earth has stored almost as much heat as in the previous 45 years, with much of the extra energy going into the oceans.

Not only has this resulted in overall ocean temperatures hitting a new record this April, but in some areas the long-term difference is huge.

In March, sea surface temperatures off the coast of North America were 13.8 degrees Celsius higher from the average value for the period 1981-2011.

“At the moment, it is not well documented why such rapid but also large changes are taking place. We’ve doubled the heat in the climate system in the last 15 years, I don’t want to say it’s climate change or natural variability or a combination of both. We don’t know yet. But we are seeing this change,” says Karina von Schuckmann, oceanographer and leader of this new study.

Harmful effect

Average surface temperature of the oceans increased by 0.9 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels – with an increase of 0.6 points over the past four decades.

While this may seem like a small price to pay, its real-world implications are serious.

• Item loss: More frequent and intense heatwaves in the ocean lead to massive loss of marine life and massive damage to coral reefs.
• More extreme weather events: Rising temperatures on the upper surface of the ocean means that hurricanes and cyclones can store more energy. In turn, this means that they become more intense and last longer.
• sea ​​level rise: Warmer waters take up more space – a phenomenon known as thermal expansion – and can greatly accelerate the melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, water that enters the oceans, leading to global sea level rise and additional threat to coastal areas. peace.
• Less ability to absorb CO2: Currently, the oceans absorb about a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions. Warmer waters have less ability to absorb carbon dioxide. And if the oceans absorb less CO2 in the future, this will lead to more carbon dioxide accumulating in the atmosphere, which will lead to further warming of the atmosphere and oceans.

Source: BBC