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.
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 2023 was the ocean’s warmest recorded year.
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?