Posted on 12/09/2024 4:51:32 PM PST by Red Badger
A new study reveals a 30-year acceleration of equatorial Pacific currents, driven by stronger winds, with implications for global climate and El Niño patterns. The findings, based on NOAA-supported data, may enhance climate model accuracy and ENSO predictions.
A crucial ocean layer essential to the dynamics of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
A recent study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans reports a marked acceleration in upper-ocean circulation within the equatorial Pacific over the last three decades.
The primary driver of this acceleration is intensified atmospheric winds, resulting in stronger and shallower ocean currents. These changes may influence regional and global climate patterns, potentially affecting the frequency and intensity of El Niño and La Niña events. The study offers a spatial perspective on these long-term trends based on observational data, extending insights by at least another decade beyond previous research.
West East Near Surface Current Trend Between 1993–2022
West-east near-surface current trend between 1993-2022. Blue colors show increased westward currents; red colors show increased eastward currents. The largest trends are observed in the central tropical Pacific Ocean (black box). Current velocity data from three equatorial moored buoys (yellow diamonds) provide a subsurface view on long-term upper-ocean current velocity trends. Credit: Graphic figure: Franz Philip Tuchen Satellite image background NOAA NESDIS The research team, led by Franz Philip Tuchen, a postdoctoral scientist at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School’s NOAA Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS), in collaboration with NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), synthesized thirty years of long-term ocean and atmosphere observations from satellites, mooring buoys, and ocean surface drifters.
By integrating the reanalysis of wind data and satellite altimetry into a high-resolution, gridded time series of near-surface ocean currents, this study presents a new and comprehensive view to date of the changes in the Pacific upper-ocean circulation.
Findings: Accelerated Currents and Potential Climate Impacts
The research findings indicate that stronger winds across the equatorial Pacific have caused a notable acceleration of westward near-surface currents by approximately 20 percent in the central equatorial Pacific. Poleward currents north and south of the equator have also accelerated, with increases of 60 percent and 20 percent, respectively.
“The equatorial thermocline—a critical ocean layer for El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) dynamics—has steepened significantly,” said Tuchen. “This steepening trend could reduce ENSO amplitude in the eastern Pacific and favor more frequent central Pacific El Niño events, potentially altering regional and global climate patterns associated with ENSO.”
The researchers indicate the study offers a benchmark for climate models, which have had limited success to accurately represent Pacific circulation and sea surface temperature trends. The researchers suggest the findings could help improve the predictability of ENSO events and related weather patterns, especially for regions like the United States, which experience significant climate variability from ENSO-driven changes.
Reference:
“Strengthening of the Equatorial Pacific Upper-Ocean Circulation Over the Past Three Decades”
by Franz Philip Tuchen, Renellys C. Perez, Gregory R. Foltz, Michael J. McPhaden and Rick Lumpkin, 31 October 2024, Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans.
DOI: 10.1029/2024JC021343
Funding for this study was provided by NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) programs, including the Global Tropical Moored Buoy Array (GTMBA), the Global Drifter Program (GDP), and the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) program.
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The NOAA long ago began simply carrying the water for climate nazis, turning a blind eye to real science. Always follow the $$$...
It’s all part of the on going magnetic pole shift. Happen every 12K years or so.
A 30 year pattern? Oh noes. We all going to die. And 15 years ago a true CC beliver told me it wasn’t going to snow in Wyoming anymore.
Yes, climate alarmist, this stuff is cyclical.
It’s 11-11-11 sunspot cycle ..any third grader knows this.
Cow farts are driving the higher winds.
Does ANYONE trust “climate scientists “? Most are integrity-free nitwits pursuing continuing funding for their ridiculously grants.
Definitely not the “main stream” climate scientists.
There are some honest ones, brilliant too, that have to go it on their own and endure ridicule and exclusion from the “main stream” hacks.
bump for later
“Children in England will no longer see snow”
convection currents
huff and puff
“Whales driving SUVs?...........”
And all the container ship propellers.........
Basically the earth’s a self correcting system... so you’re right it’s likely a “normal episodic variation” - ebb and flow so to speak.
And to think this is most certainly caused by a few parts per million increase in a single trace gas in our atmosphere and could easily be remedied by driving EVs and building more wind turbines and solar farms. Kind of like King Knute commanding the tides to stop.
And TAX INCREASES! LOTS OF TAX INCREASES WILL STOP IT!............TRUST THE SCIENCE!..................
If there are any Freepers who do not know this history:
https://cei.org/blog/wrong-again-50-years-of-failed-eco-pocalyptic-predictions/
“Scientists” have not beclowned themselves this badly since the Piltdown Man fiasco.
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