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Vertical structures of marine heatwaves.
Ying Zhang1, Yan Du2,3, Ming Feng4
1State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
Nature Communications
|October 14, 2023
Summary
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) have diverse vertical structures, including shallow, deep, and subsurface types. Understanding these patterns is crucial for predicting their impacts in a changing climate.
Area of Science:
- Oceanography
- Climate Science
- Marine Ecology
Background:
- Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are anomalous warm events in surface waters with significant impacts.
- The vertical structure of MHWs is poorly understood globally.
- Surface warming can extend into deeper ocean layers during MHWs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To classify MHWs based on their vertical thermal structure.
- To investigate the spatial distribution and influencing factors of different MHW types.
- To analyze trends in MHW area and depth.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Argo profiling float data to identify MHW vertical structures.
- Categorized MHWs into four types: shallow, subsurface-reversed, subsurface-intensified, and deep.
- Analyzed spatial patterns and correlations with ocean dynamics.
Main Results:
- Identified four distinct MHW vertical structure types.
- Found specific latitudinal distributions for each MHW type.
- Observed increasing trends in MHW area and depth over the last two decades.
Conclusions:
- MHW vertical structures are influenced by ocean dynamics like planetary waves and eddies.
- All MHW types show increasing trends, indicating a response to climate warming.
- This research enhances understanding of MHW drivers and ecological consequences.
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