Heating Up
Raquel Morgens
(Picture taken by Doug White, picture taken from https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ocean-warming-deepest-coldest-temperature )
In the September 28th Geophysical research letters, researchers reported that over the last decade there has been an average temperature increase of 0.02 degrees celsius in the ocean; more specifically this date was found using thermometers placed at the bottom of the atlantic ocean. One explanation that has arised is the probability that it is the consequence of human-driven climate change, although, no one can say for sure without further research and watch of the change. Chris Meinin, an oceanographer in the U.S. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Miami, says that because of how deep the ocean is anywhere below 2,000 meters is not very well observed. IN addition, because of the ocean being so deep, the temperature at any research site typically is only taken once a decade. Though, Meinin´s team was able to successfully measure temperatures hourly from 2009 to 2019 using seafloor sensors at four spots in the Argentine Basin, off the coast of Uruguay. This helped discover that the two temperature spots that were taken in the deepest part had a constant trend of warming over the decade. ¨Waters 4,540 meters below the surface warmed from an average 0.209° C to 0.234° C, while waters 4,757 meters down went from about 0.232°C to 0.248°C.¨ As seen by the data, Meinin stated that there is a clear showing that the upper ocean warming is much stronger than that of the lower, but he also states that ¨since warm water rises, it would take a lot of heat to generate even this little bit of warming so deep.¨ Through all this research, we still cant be sure if this warming is completely caused by humans or just simply natural variation, from this point researchers will continue to monitor the sites and continue their research for a clear explanation.
Questions…
-If the rise in ocean temperatures are caused by human activity, what would be some ways to help lower or prevent further rise in temperature?
-if the cause of the rise in temperature is from a nature variation, what would that variation be?
-How does the rise in temperature affect the ocean animals, ecosystems, ect?
I think that the oceanic warming is caused by human activity because there is unmistakable research that shows the temperature increase after the industrial revolution. Even if it was a natural variation, humans are speeding it up, which is still a very serious problem. The rise in temperature will either cause adaptations in organisms or kill them off.
ReplyDelete-Shirin Saha
Rise in ocean temperature likely is a result of human activity, because there is a direct correlation to human industrialism to climate change. To lower ocean temperatures we need to use less energy and fossil fuels and emit less carbon. The temperature rise throws off ocean ecosystems that were adapted to their habitat. These organisms may not have enough time to adapt to the rapid change in their environment.
ReplyDeleteCarissa Bersche
If the rise of temperatures are caused by human activity I think we need to see the things where we are able to change in a short time period. I don't think cars and factories are able to just disappear or be made environmental in a short time period globally but we can start in communities where people are able to go short distances without cars and have safer, faster, public transportation.
ReplyDelete-Angeline Upchurch
if the rise in temperatures is caused by human activity, the solutions to it would be things that we are already pushing for such as reducing carbon emissions. If the cause is from natural variation it could potentially be variation to geothermal activity or potentially just the natural heating up of the earth. i know serious temperature rise in the oceans has some severe impacts on more delicate ecosystem elements, such as corals and microbial growth. - Nathan Clark
ReplyDeleteThe rise in ocean temperatures is definitely caused by human activity not just nature. If greenhouse gas emissions alone were warming the planet, there would be about a third more warming than what we have right now. The warming is offset by cooling from man-made atmospheric aerosols.
ReplyDelete