The Impacts of the Oceans on Climate Change (original) (raw)

Effects of the World’s Oceans on Global Climate Change

American Journal of Climate Change, 2013

The role of the World Ocean in Global Climate Change is considered from two points of view: 1) heat energy accumulation and distribution in the ocean and its discharge into the atmosphere as purely physical processes; 2) participation of living matter in the ocean in these processes. The oceanic organic matter, especially plankton and different organic compounds, absorbs solar energy and changes water transparency, controlling thickness of layers and amount of the energy accumulated. Having ability to react not only to fluctuations of solar heat energy supply, but also to extra weak fluctuations of electromagnetic and magnetic fields of terrestrial and extraterrestrial origin, phytoplankton and other organic matter should be considered as active forcing of global climate and ocean ecosystem fluctuations observed on different scales. Several mechanisms of solar activity effects on global climate-ocean ecosystem interactions are discussed.

Impacts of climate change on temperature (air and sea)

then warm to present. The warming observed in the last three decades has been particularly strong in parts of the northeast Atlantic, the sea surface around the UK and Ireland warming at rates up to six times greater than the global average. It remains difficult to fully distinguish the natural variations in temperature from those due to anthropogenic influence (including emissions of carbon dioxide (CO 2). Marine Air Temperatures over the Northeast Atlantic and southern North Sea have warmed rapidly over the last 30 years. The observed warming is greatest over seas south of Iceland at faster than 0.6 °C decade-1. Locally the most rapid rises have been observed in the Southern North Sea (Charting Progress Region 2) and off the western coast of Scotland (Region 6 and the southern part of Region 7) at a rate between 0.2 and 0.4˚C decade-1. Recent cold years have meant that linear trends in Marine Air Temperature in other regions (Regions 1, 3 and much of Regions 4 and 5) are not statistically significant. Similarly, sea-surface temperatures (SST) in UK coastal waters and in the Northeast Atlantic have risen by between 0.1 and 0.5˚C decade-1 since the 1980s, and fastest locally in Region 2. The temperature of the upper ocean (0-800 m) to the west and north of the UK has been generally rising since the 1970s (Region 8) and 1980s (Region 7). Superimposed on the underlying upward trend are decadal variations with relative maxima around 1960 and in the 2000s and relative minima in the 1980s and 1990s. Despite the long-term warming trends, whether over the century or last 30 years, in evidence in most regions, temperature evolution at a location has not been linear or smooth with some short periods of rapid change over a few years and others of little change. Since 2008 the SSTs observed in most areas have not risen or have been slightly lower than observed in 2003-2007. The observed temperature changes have been due to a combination of global climate change and natural variability, attributed to 'internal' variability in the ocean atmosphere system, the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation is thought to be a representative pattern of this internal variability, the decadal scale patterns observed in UK waters are similar to that of the AMO. As a result of both of these 'drivers' , a significant period of rapid warming occurred from 1985 to 2003. West of the UK the water of the deep ocean (>1000m) comes from the Labrador Sea and has generally cooled since 1975. North of the UK, the deep water (800 m) flows from the Nordic Seas and shows no long-term trend since 1950. Over the 21st century warming in the shelf seas around the UK and Ireland and the upper layers of the North Atlantic is predicted to continue, although perhaps at a lesser average rate to that observed in the last 30 years. Natural variability, driven by atmospheric and oceanic processes introduces a level of uncertainty that makes it difficult to predict the direction of temperature change over the next decade. However, initial experimental forecasts of ocean temperatures are beginning to be published.

The role of the oceans in climate

International Journal of Climatology, 2003

The ocean is increasingly seen as a vital component of the climate system. It exchanges with the atmosphere large quantities of heat, water, gases, particles and momentum. It is an important part of the global redistribution of heat from tropics to polar regions keeping our planet habitable, particularly equatorward of about 30°. In this article we review recent work examining the role of the oceans in climate, focusing on research in the Third Assessment Report of the IPCC and later. We discuss the general nature of oceanic climate variability and the large role played by stochastic variability in the interaction of the atmosphere and ocean. We consider the growing evidence for biogeochemical interaction of climatic significance between ocean and atmosphere. Air-sea exchange of several radiatively important gases, in particular CO 2 , is a major mechanism for altering their atmospheric concentrations. Some more reactive gases, such as dimethyl sulphide, can alter cloud formation and hence albedo. Particulates containing iron and originating over land can alter ocean primary productivity and hence feedbacks to other biogeochemical exchanges. We show that not only the tropical Pacific Ocean basin can exhibit coupled ocean-atmosphere interaction, but also the tropical Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Longer lived interactions in the North Pacific and Southern Ocean (the circumpolar wave) are also reviewed. The role of the thermohaline circulation in long-term and abrupt climatic change is examined, with the freshwater budget of the ocean being a key factor for the degree, and longevity, of change. The potential for the Mediterranean outflow to contribute to abrupt change is raised. We end by examining the probability of thermohaline changes in a future of global warming.

Connecting Changing Ocean Circulation with Changing Climate

Journal of Climate, 2013

The influence of changing ocean currents on climate change is evaluated by comparing an earth system model's response to increased CO 2 with and without an ocean circulation response. Inhibiting the ocean circulation response, by specifying a seasonally varying preindustrial climatology of currents, has a much larger influence on the heat storage pattern than on the carbon storage pattern. The heat storage pattern without circulation changes resembles carbon storage (either with or without circulation changes) more than it resembles the heat storage when currents are allowed to respond. This is shown to be due to the larger magnitude of the redistribution transport-the change in transport due to circulation anomalies acting on control climate gradients-for heat than for carbon. The net ocean heat and carbon uptake are slightly reduced when currents are allowed to respond. Hence, ocean circulation changes potentially act to warm the surface climate. However, the impact of the reduced carbon uptake on radiative forcing is estimated to be small while the redistribution heat transport shifts ocean heat uptake from low to high latitudes, increasing its cooling power. Consequently, global surface warming is significantly reduced by circulation changes. Circulation changes also shift the pattern of warming from broad Northern Hemisphere amplification to a more structured pattern with reduced warming at subpolar latitudes in both hemispheres and enhanced warming near the equator.

Role of Ocean in Global Warming

Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan, 2007

Based upon the results obtained from coupled ocean-atmosphere models of various complexities, this review explores the role of ocean in global warming. It shows that ocean can play a major role in delaying global warming and shaping its geographical distribution. It is very encouraging that many features of simulated change of the climate system have begun to agree with observation. However, it has been difficult to confirm the apparent agreement because the density and frequency of the observation are insufficient in many oceanic region of the world, in particular, in the Circumpolar Ocean of the Southern Hemisphere. It is therefore essential to intensify our effort to monitor not only at the surface but also in the subsurface layers of oceans.

Climate Change Causes and Effects

Climate Change Causes and Its Impacts, 2023

This Article explores the phenomenon of climate change, attributing its recent acceleration to human activities, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels. The release of greenhouse gases, notably carbon dioxide and methane, contributes to a warming effect on the Earth. The consequences of climate change are widespread, impacting ecosystems, weather patterns, and societies.