A new study led by scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, in collaboration with scientists at Princeton University, shows that the intensification of global hydrological cycle drives more ocean heat uptake into the deep ocean and moderates the pace of global warming.
A new study led by scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, in collaboration with scientists at Princeton University, shows that the intensification of global hydrological cycle drives more ocean heat uptake into the deep ocean and moderates the pace of global warming.
As a result of a warming climate, the global water cycle becomes more intensified and as a result wet regions are getting wetter and dry regions are getting drier. The researchers found that this intensification is also reflected in ocean salinity. The increase in ocean surface salinity in salty regions, such as the subtropical oceans, leads to denser seawater and more heat uptake in to the deep ocean. The increase in the rate of ocean heat uptake would reduce the rate of surface warming.
“We discovered a new mechanism that influences the rate of global warming through a suite of climate model experiments,” said Maofeng Liu, a postdoctoral researcher at the UM Rosenstiel School, Department of Atmospheric Sciences. “The good match between climate model simulations and observations in the past few decades suggest that the salinity changes due to human-induced warming are likely working to enhance the ocean heat uptake.”
Read more at: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science
Rectangular flat map projection (Atlantic-centered) with grid lines showing Sea Surface Salinity measurements taken by Aquarius space craft between September 2011 and September 2014. (Photo Credit: NASA, Scientific Visualization Studio)
