Ocean
Heat, 38" H x 41" W
Embroidery on silk shows heat content
in the top 700 meters (2300') of the ocean, data collection tools, and
the relevance of heat content to climate science.
Ninety percent of global warming is occurring in the ocean, causing the
water’s internal heat to increase since modern recordkeeping began
in 1955. Heat stored in the ocean causes its water to expand, which is
responsible for one-third to one-half of global sea level rise. Most of
the added energy is stored at the surface, at a depth of zero to 700 meters.
The last 10 years were the ocean’s warmest decade since at least
the 1800s. The year 2021 was the ocean’s warmest recorded year and
saw the highest global sea level.
Instruments that measure ocean heat include Argo floats. Argo is a global
array of 3,800 free-drifting profiling floats that measures the temperature
and salinity of the upper 2000 meters (about 6562 feet) of the ocean.
This allows, for the first time, continuous monitoring of the temperature,
salinity, and velocity of the upper ocean, with all data being relayed
and made publicly available within hours after collection. For more information
on Argo, go to: What is Argo?