Marine heat waves at the bottom of the oceans

[Montanan]

Interesting article.

Makes me wonder if such heat waves are a cause of the recent disappearance of billions of crabs in the Pacific northwest.

Nature Communications:

Bottom marine heatwaves along the continental shelves of North America

Published March 13, 2023

Reference link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-36567-0

Abstract

Recently, there has been substantial effort to understand the fundamental characteristics of warm ocean temperature extremes—known as marine heatwaves (MHWs). However, MHW research has primarily focused on the surface signature of these events. While surface MHWs (SMHW) can have dramatic impacts on marine ecosystems, extreme warming along the seafloor can also have significant biological outcomes. In this study, we use a high-resolution (~8 km) ocean reanalysis to broadly assess bottom marine heatwaves (BMHW) along the continental shelves of North America. We find that BMHW intensity and duration varies strongly with bottom depth, with typical intensities ranging from ~0.5 °C–3 °C. Further, BMHWs can be more intense and persist longer than SMHWs. While BMHWs and SMHWs often co-occur, BMHWs can also exist without a SMHW. Deeper regions in which the mixed layer does not typically reach the seafloor exhibit less synchronicity between BMHWs and SMHWs.

Introduction
Warm ocean temperature extremes—known as marine heatwaves (MHW)—can dramatically impact the overall health of marine ecosystems around the globe, including changing the regional distribution of marine species, altering primary productivity, and increasing the risk of negative human-wildlife interactions.

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Associated Science Alert Article of today.

Scientists Discover Intense Heatwaves Lurking at The Bottom of The Ocean
Story by Clare Watson

Link: https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/scientists-discover-intense-heatwaves-lurking-at-the-bottom-of-the-ocean/ar-AA18PPHU?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=055dddc26e334d 6b8db38a36d7f5e561&ei=72