Global warming creating green coloured oceans
Climate change has had many effects on our planet. Average temperature is nearing the 1.5-degree Celsius target increase; wildfires are becoming more common, and sea levels are rising. The newest effect climate change is having on earth is that oceans are changing to be more greenish in colour. In a surprising discovery reported by “Nature”, scientists have found that more than half of the world's oceans have become greener over the past two decades, likely due to global warming.
Ocean color can change for various reasons, such as phytoplankton blooms resulting from nutrient upwelling. By analyzing the wavelengths of sunlight reflected off the ocean's surface, scientists can estimate chlorophyll levels, indicating the presence of living organisms. It was expected that climate change-induced warming would affect biological productivity in the oceans. However, the variability of chlorophyll levels from year to year made it challenging to differentiate climate change effects from natural fluctuations.
To establish a link with climate change, the observations were compared to a model simulating the effects of increasing greenhouse gas levels. The observed color changes aligned with the model's predictions. The exact cause of the ocean color changes remains uncertain. Rising sea surface temperatures are unlikely to be the sole factor since they do not correspond to the areas experiencing significant color changes. The distribution of nutrients in the ocean may play a role, as warmer surface waters become more stratified, hampering nutrient rise, and potentially impacting the ecosystem.
The study emphasizes the importance of monitoring ocean color and anticipates the upcoming PACE satellite mission by NASA, scheduled for launch in January 2024. PACE will measure ocean color in more wavelengths, enabling a deeper understanding of the ecological implications and trends in the ocean's ecosystem structure in the future. This is yet another reason for us to try to do our part in reducing our personal carbon emissions. The Anorra wind turbine along with all its benefits of saving money and creating less dependency on the grid, it will allow for you to reduce your carbon emissions. Be a part of the change for better, shift to wind energy and help Canada reach its Net Zero goal.