Researchers from Princeton University (USA) have come to the conclusion that the oceans are heating faster than oceanologists previously thought. This is reported by Science Alert.
Previous estimates indicate that the oceans absorb 90 percent of the excess heat trapped in greenhouse gases emitted by anthropogenic activities. However, it turned out that this amount is underestimated, and sea waters contain much more heat. According to scientists, this makes the task of curbing the rise in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere by 1.5-2 degrees Celsius difficult.
It will also lead to a significant increase in the risk of flooding due to rising sea levels, severe hurricanes, and the disappearance of coral reefs becomes almost inevitable.
Information about the temperature and salinity of the oceans comes from the Argo system buoys installed around the world, the number of which reaches more than three thousand. However, according to scientists, these data are imperfect, so they estimated how much oxygen the oceans gave off between 1991 and 2016. This indicator can be used to judge the actual absorption of heat, since when water is heated, the solubility of oxygen in it decreases.
Excessive heating of the oceans explains why some species of marine animals migrate to the polar regions, where the water is colder. On the coast of North Carolina, experts noted the movement of habitats of Paralichthys dentatus fish 40 kilometers to the north.
