Record Heat for the Oceans in 2022

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SUMMARY

In 2022, ocean heat content (OHC) reached unprecedented levels, surpassing the previous record set in 2021 by 10.9 ± 8.3 ZJ according to IAP/CAS data, and by 9.1 ± 8.7 ZJ according to NCEI/NOAA data. Four ocean basins—the North Pacific, North Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, and southern oceans—recorded their highest OHC since the 1950s. The ongoing rise in ocean temperatures is linked to significant changes in Earth's climate system, driven by greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the warming oceans are causing marine species to migrate towards cooler areas, impacting biodiversity and ecosystems.

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  • Familiarity with greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on climate
  • Knowledge of marine biology and species migration patterns
  • Basic principles of thermodynamics related to water and temperature
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pinball1970
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TL;DR
From the abstract. "In 2022, the world’s oceans, as given by OHC, were again the hottest in the historical record and exceeded the previous 2021 record maximum."
"Changes in ocean heat content (OHC), salinity, and stratification provide critical indicators for changes in Earth’s energy and water cycles. These cycles have been profoundly altered due to the emission of greenhouse gasses and other anthropogenic substances by human activities, driving pervasive changes in Earth’s climate system. In 2022, the world’s oceans, as given by OHC, were again the hottest in the historical record and exceeded the previous 2021 record maximum. According to IAP/CAS data, the 0–2000 m OHC in 2022 exceeded that of 2021 by 10.9 ± 8.3 ZJ (1 Zetta Joules = 1021 Joules); and according to NCEI/NOAA data, by 9.1 ± 8.7 ZJ. Among seven regions, four basins (the North Pacific, North Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and southern oceans) recorded their highest OHC since the 1950s."

Paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00376-023-2385-2

As of May 2023: https://climatereanalyzer.org/clim/sst_daily/
 
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I wonder whether there is a table somewher that translates energy / temperature into expansion of volume / sea level rise.
 
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fresh_42 said:
I wonder whether there is a table somewher that translates energy / temperature into expansion of volume / sea level rise.
I had look and I found this for water (not sea water)

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/water-specific-volume-weight-d_661.html?vA=20&units=C

1C rise equates to 0.0002 Cm³ increase in volume if you look at the second graph in Fahrenheit. I took a tenth of the 60-70 increase.

361 million sqr km of Ocean on the planet.

The Salt in sea water will make the boiling higher so the expansion will be lower I guess.
 
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fresh_42 said:
I wonder whether there is a table somewher that translates energy / temperature into expansion of volume / sea level rise.
Chemical Oceanography, Riley & Skirrow, vol. 1, p. 103.
 
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Related to the warming ocean - some inland areas are drier than normal, especially up in Canada. Surprising is the unusual hot dry weather in eastern Canada, particularly in Nova Scotia.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/05/30/canada-nova-scotia-fire-smoke/
Wildfires in southeastern Canada’s Nova Scotia province have damaged or destroyed 200 homes near Halifax while forcing more than 16,000 people to evacuate. Thick plumes of smoke are also finding their way into the northeastern United States.

The expansive fires in Nova Scotia are of unusual intensity for the region, fueled by abnormally hot and dry weather. Some places have seen little to no rain this month, and much of the maritime zone was already abnormally dry as of late April.

Of the fires burning in Nova Scotia, the largest is over 24,700 acres (10,000 hectares) and is still out of control.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wildfires-eastern-canada-affecting-air-quality-major-us/story?id=99723443
 
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