The world’s oceans have been consistently warming for the fifth year in a row. The amount of energy needed for this is comparable to billions of atomic explosions, scientists calculated
In 2019, the temperature of all the oceans of the Earth reached record levels on record. In the last 25 years alone, the amount of heat used to warm up the oceans amounted to the equivalent of 3,6 billion atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima.
These sensational figures are given by the American edition of Fast Company with reference to a study by an international group of scientists published by the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences. The scientific work is based on data collected by the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from the 1950s to the present day. Temperature measurements of the oceans were carried out from the surface of the water to a depth of 2 thousand meters.
The main conclusion made by a group of 14 scientists is that over the past ten years the temperature of the World Ocean has reached its maximum values, while five of the hottest years occurred in the last five years of observations. The rate of climate change on our planet can be judged by another conclusion that the researchers came to: the warming of the World Ocean in the period from 1987 to 2019 turned out to be 450% higher than the warming of water over a comparable period of time from 1955 to 1986.
For greater clarity, scientists proposed the following explanation: in 2019, the temperature of the World Ocean was 0,075 degrees higher than the average for 1981-2010. A change in temperature even by such a small amount required 228.000.000.000.000.000.000.000 (228 sextillion) joules. For comparison: the explosion of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima released energy of 63.000.000.000.000 (63 trillion) joules.
The average air temperature around the world right now (in degrees Celsius).
“The measured ocean warming is undeniable, and it is further proof of global warming,” said study co-author Professor Cheng Lijing of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics. According to the scientist, there are no other reasonable alternatives to explain this warming, except for human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
Judging by the measurements of climatologists, water heating occurs in all the oceans of the Earth, but this phenomenon has become most noticeable in the Atlantic and Southern oceans, especially around Antarctica.
Why is it so important to monitor the temperature of the oceans? “Ocean heating is an undeniable and key indicator of the Earth’s energy imbalance,” the authors of the report answer. “Excess [greenhouse gases] in the air trap more heat inside the climate system, leading to global warming.”
“More than 90% of the heat accumulates in the ocean due to its large heat capacity,” Fast Company scientists explain. “The remaining heat manifests itself in the form of warming air, drying and warming of the earth, as well as melting ice on land and sea.”