Just like on land, the ocean environment can experience heatwaves.
Just like on land, the ocean environment can experience heatwaves. These periods of abnormally high ocean temperatures can last for weeks or even months, with potentially severe ecological and economic consequences.
Researchers from the Nicholas School of the Environment have identified a connection between marine heatwaves and moving bands of moisture in the air, called atmospheric rivers. Their study, funded by NASA, could potentially lead to improved predictions of marine heatwaves and a better understanding of how climate change factors in.
Atmospheric rivers spend ample time over oceans, where they can influence sea surface temperatures through various processes that move heat around. The researchers wanted to see if interactions between atmospheric rivers and the sea surface might play a role in marine heatwaves.
Read More: Duke University
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