Study: Deep Ocean Heatwaves Highly 'Under-reported'
2024-10-23
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1Periods of very high temperatures, or heatwaves, deep in the ocean might be highly "under-reported," a recent study says.
2The study suggests such heatwaves could have worrying effects in the future.
3Australia's national science agency (CSIRO) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences worked together to do the research, which appeared recently in the scientific publication Nature.
4Researchers found that 80 percent of marine heatwaves below 100 meters are independent of surface events.
5CSIRO scientist Ming Feng said, "These findings deepen our understanding of the frequency and intensity of extreme temperature events under the ocean surface and possible implications."
6Marine heatwaves are temperature events that can cause severe damage to marine living environments.
7Such effects include damage to coral reefs and species displacement, the study said.
8These heatwave events are becoming more common due to global warming, causing major environmental and socioeconomic effects, the study suggested.
9The majority of previous studies on marine heatwaves have depended on surface signals based on widely available satellite observations of sea-surface temperature.
10For this study, researchers used data from eight mooring sites.
11These locations permit a direct estimate of the occurrence of ocean temperature extremes.
12The study also used observational data from more than two million ocean temperature profiles from global oceans.
13The finding of separate, deeper warming was particularly worrying, the research found.
14Such warming is of concern because it affects the living area, or habitat, of so many creatures and the food they eat.
15"Extreme temperature events below the sea surface are of greater ecological concern because they affect the habitat of most marine primary producers and consumers," the study said.
16The research also highlighted the effects of ocean currents on marine heatwaves, in particular eddies.
17Eddies are circular currents of water that are likely a major driver of subsurface events, CSIRO suggested.
18Ocean eddies can affect acidity levels, oxygen levels and nutrient concentrations in the ocean.
19The study suggested that understanding the drivers of subsurface marine heatwaves can help to improve assessment of these events in a warming climate and help to predict them in the future.
20I'm John Russell.
1Periods of very high temperatures, or heatwaves, deep in the ocean might be highly "under-reported," a recent study says. The study suggests such heatwaves could have worrying effects in the future. 2Australia's national science agency (CSIRO) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences worked together to do the research, which appeared recently in the scientific publication Nature. 3Researchers found that 80 percent of marine heatwaves below 100 meters are independent of surface events. 4CSIRO scientist Ming Feng said, "These findings deepen our understanding of the frequency and intensity of extreme temperature events under the ocean surface and possible implications." 5Marine heatwaves are temperature events that can cause severe damage to marine living environments. Such effects include damage to coral reefs and species displacement, the study said. 6These heatwave events are becoming more common due to global warming, causing major environmental and socioeconomic effects, the study suggested. 7The majority of previous studies on marine heatwaves have depended on surface signals based on widely available satellite observations of sea-surface temperature. 8For this study, researchers used data from eight mooring sites. These locations permit a direct estimate of the occurrence of ocean temperature extremes. 9The study also used observational data from more than two million ocean temperature profiles from global oceans. 10The finding of separate, deeper warming was particularly worrying, the research found. Such warming is of concern because it affects the living area, or habitat, of so many creatures and the food they eat. 11"Extreme temperature events below the sea surface are of greater ecological concern because they affect the habitat of most marine primary producers and consumers," the study said. 12The research also highlighted the effects of ocean currents on marine heatwaves, in particular eddies. 13Eddies are circular currents of water that are likely a major driver of subsurface events, CSIRO suggested. 14Ocean eddies can affect acidity levels, oxygen levels and nutrient concentrations in the ocean. 15The study suggested that understanding the drivers of subsurface marine heatwaves can help to improve assessment of these events in a warming climate and help to predict them in the future. 16I'm John Russell. 17Farah Master reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. 18_______________________________________________ 19Words in This Story 20frequency - n. the number of repetitions of a periodic process in a unit of time 21intensity - n. the magnitude of a quantity (such as force or energy) per unit (as of area, charge, mass, or time) 22implication -- n. a possible significance 23species - n. a class of individuals having common attributes and designated by a common name 24mooring - n. a place where or an object to which something (such as a craft or measuring device) can be fixed in place (or moored)