Ocean heat content
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Correcting biases in the OHCA record
Scientists use data about ocean heat content to create a time series of ocean heat content anomalies (OHCA). Certain changes to the observational network introduced a warm bias which artificially increased the ocean’s warming trend in the years 1987-1996. Exactly how much the trend was biased has been a subject of debate among scientists.[1] [2]
In the years from 2003-2005, the OHCA originally showed the oceans were cooling. However, the cooling was determined to be the result of a data processing error and not actual cooling. Once the error was corrected, the oceans showed neither significant cooling nor significant warming during those years.[3]
- ↑ Viktor Gouretski1 and Klaus Peter Koltermann (2007). How much is the ocean really warming?. Geophysical Research Letters. Retrieved on 2008-12-26.
- ↑ Syd Levitus, John Antonov, Tim Boyer (presented March 10, 2008). Global Ocean Heat Content 1955-2007 in light of recently revealed instrumentation problems. Ocean Climate Laboratory – National Oceanographic Data Center NOAA. Retrieved on 2008-12-26.
- ↑ Josh Willis et al.. In Situ Data Biases and Recent Ocean Heat Content Variability. Submitted to Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology. Retrieved on 2008-12-26.