On October 31, the Washington Post sent an alarming news alert: “Startling new research finds large buildup of heat in the oceans, suggesting a faster rate of global warming”, and “The findings mean the world might have less time to curb carbon emissions” (subtitle). A similar Wired article was more nuanced: “The sea may be absorbing way more heat than we thought”.
This news should not come as a surprise: “Carbon dioxide is mainly stored in oceans (93%), and only 0.04% in (greenhouse) gases.” This line is an excerpt of my 2018 blog: “The relationship between CO2, ice, water and (greenhouse) gases”. Hence, any increase in greenhouse gases (0.04%) should imply an increase in oceanic CO2 storage (93% – 95%).
Wired-2018: “How important is it for scientists to understand how much the oceans are warming, exactly? “Ocean warming is the critical thing in climate change,” says University of St. Thomas researcher John Abraham, who wasn’t involved in the new study. “Global warming is really ocean warming.” ”
Scientists suggest a strong link between climate change, mass extinction events, and the oceanic carbon cycle (eg, MIT News-2017, NCBI-1995, Science Daily-2018). However, this link only appears to relate to global cooling rather than global warming. To some extent, the 19th century boiling frog experiments also support this one-sided link.
Unfortunately, we know much more about our moon than our oceans (Conversation-2014, my 2016 blog, Scientific American-2014). Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that the oceanic carbon cycle has been underestimated to a significant extent.
My diagram to the right shows the 10 known causes of climate change, including the 2 above: atmospheric greenhouse gases and the oceanic carbon cycle, and the 2 below.
The impact of ocean currents was mentioned in my 2 August 2018 blog.
NOAA: “Scientists believe that 80 percent of the volcanic eruptions on Earth take place in the ocean. Most of these volcanoes are thousands of feet deep, and difficult to find.” Note: italic markings by LO.
John Abraham‘s remark seems to make sense: “Global warming is really ocean warming.”
Only the Ocean (2010) by Jack Johnson
artist, lyrics, video, Wiki-1, Wiki-2
After all this time
After all of these seasons
After your own decision to go to the water for a reason
It’s only the ocean and you
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless stated otherwise
First, someone must explain how atmosphere heats ocean.
Hello Bud, long time no see. Did you even bother to read my article?
Leon, of course I read your article and I appreciate your contribution. My statement in comments above could be a subtitle to your article, with a bit of sarcasm such as "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." Keep up the good work.