This image reveals the sea surface temperature abnormalities on July 21, 2022, compared to the average temperature taped throughout the 1985 to 2005 period. Credit: ESA (Data: E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information).
Marine heatwaves have become more extensive as international ocean temperatures continue to increase. They are only expected to increase in strength, duration, and frequency in the future due to human-induced environment change.
Anticipating marine heatwave incident and duration is important, as is comprehending their impacts on marine communities. This is necessary to assist protect ecosystems and local neighborhoods.
CAREHeat (deteCtion and risks of maRinE Heat waves) is an ESA-funded project that aims to establish unique techniques to determine marine heatwaves, evaluate their status and trends, and comprehend their effect on marine life.
The job, which started in March 2022, utilized near-real-time sea surface temperature data readily available from the Copernicus Marine Service, and has actually had the ability to spot and keep an eye on the Mediterranean marine heatwave that occurred this summertime.
The Mediterranean Sea suffered a major marine heatwave this summer season with sea surface temperature levels reaching 5 ° C( 9 ° F) higher than average. This animation shows the development of the Mediterranean marine heatwave gradually from March to August 2022 compared to balanced data during the same months from 1985 to 2005. The redder the observations, the more the sea surface temperatures various from the norm. Credit: ESA (Data: E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information).
The research study group found that this especially severe heatwave occasion started in the 2nd half of April and stretched throughout the main and northwest Mediterranean Sea. In the area, sea surface temperature level increases accelerated around May 10 and, in almost 10 days, an abrupt modification in temperature level– from 16 ° C to 22 ° C( 61 ° F to 72 ° F)– was observed.
In the Ligurian Sea– an arm of the Mediterranean– the optimum intensity of the heatwave was reached on July 21, when the mean anomaly reached 5 ° C( 9 ° F). As of September 13, the heatwave in the Mediterranean was still present.
” We are still observing an averaged sea surface area temperature abnormality of around 2 ° C, which magnified in the northwest Mediterranean where the abnormality is higher than 4 ° C,” commented Rosalia Santoleri, CAREHeat Project Coordinator.
The group of researchers will continue to keep an eye on the advancement of this heatwave with the goal to understand how the temperature signal propagates below the surface, what are the chauffeurs of this lasting severe occasion, and what effect it has on the Mediterranean marine ecosystem.
About CAREHeat.
The CAREHeat consortium is led by the Institute of Marine Sciences of the Italian National Research Council (CNR-ISMAR). It includes the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS), the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER), Mercator Ocean International (Moi), and +ATLANTIC CoLAB.
The team uses satellite observations, matched with in situ measurements, biochemical ocean analyses, and modeling along with artificial intelligence techniques, to study and recognize marine heatwaves and determine their effects on marine environments. Jobs like this show ESAs duty to help European researchers understand our altering environment and the increasing frequency of severe events.
The Mediterranean Sea was hit by a significant marine heatwave.
Many parts of Europe saw record-breaking temperatures over the summertime. It wasnt just the continental mainland that was impacted, since the Mediterranean Sea likewise suffered a significant marine heatwave. CAREHeat, an ESA-funded project, discovered among the most extreme Mediterranean marine heatwaves observed throughout the satellite period– with sea surface temperatures reaching 5 ° C( 9 ° F) greater than average. Severe increases in ocean temperature level over a prolonged amount of time are called marine heatwaves. Their magnitude and frequency have damaging impacts on marine communities, threaten marine biodiversity and adversely impact fisheries, aquaculture, and tourist markets.
Higher water temperatures associated with marine heatwaves can likewise cause extreme weather occasions such as tropical storms and cyclones. They can likewise interrupt the water cycle, making floods, droughts, and wildfires on land most likely.
It wasnt just the continental mainland that was affected, since the Mediterranean Sea also suffered a major marine heatwave. Extreme rises in ocean temperature level over an extended duration of time are known as marine heatwaves. Their magnitude and frequency have harmful effects on marine ecosystems, threaten marine biodiversity and negatively effect fisheries, aquaculture, and tourist industries.
This animation reveals the advancement of the Mediterranean marine heatwave over time from March to August 2022 compared to averaged information throughout the same months from 1985 to 2005. Credit: ESA (Data: E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information).