Earth's oceans are surprisingly heating up around New Zealand
The world's oceans are heating at an accelerated rate within two specific regions, raising concerns about marine ecosystems and extreme weather events.The study, led by climate scientist Dr. Kevin Trenberth, identifies these bands as located near 40 degrees latitude in both the northern and southern hemispheres.The details of the findings have been published in the Journal of Climate.
The southern band, situated between 40 and 45 degrees south, exhibits the most rapid heating, particularly around New Zealand, Tasmania, and the Atlantic waters east of Argentina.advertisementIn the northern hemisphere, the band is centered around 40 degrees north, with the most significant warming occurring east of the United States in the North Atlantic and east of Japan in the North Pacific."This is very striking," stated Trenberth, affiliated with both the University of Auckland and the National Center of Atmospheric Research (NCAR). "It's unusual to discover such a distinctive pattern jumping out from climate data."
The research highlights that ocean heating disrupts marine ecosystems. (Photo: Getty)
The research highlights that ocean heating disrupts marine ecosystems, increases water vapour levels in the atmosphere (a potent greenhouse gas), and intensifies rainstorms and extreme weather events.advertisementSince 2005, these heat bands have developed in conjunction with poleward shifts in the jet stream and corresponding changes in ocean currents, according to Trenberth and his co-authors.Scientists analysed an unprecedented volume of atmospheric and oceanic data, assessing 1-degree latitude strips of the ocean down to a depth of 2000 meters between 2000 and 2023.Changes in heat content, measured in zettajoules, were compared against a baseline from 2000-2004. Significant heat increases were also observed in the tropics, between 10 degrees north and 20 degrees south, though these were less distinct due to variations caused by the El Nino-Southern Oscillation climate pattern.Interestingly, the subtropics near 20 degrees latitude in both hemispheres showed an absence of warming.The research team included Lijing Cheng and Yuying Pan from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, John Fasullo from NCAR, and Michael Mayer from the University of Vienna and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.Trenberth emphasised the role of greenhouse gases in climate change, noting that the resulting heat is primarily absorbed by the ocean, while also acknowledging the likely influence of natural variability.Must Watch
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