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GAO-24-107068 1 (2023-11-30)

handle is hein.gao/gaopno0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics SCIENCE & TECH SPOTLIGHT: OCEAN WARMING What is it? According to NASA, 2022 was the ocean's warmest year since modern record keeping began in 1955. Estimates indicate that the oceans account for more than 90 percent of the Earth's warming since at least 1971, mostly near the surface between 0 and 700 meters deep. To measure how much the oceans have warmed, researchers use various temperature sensing instruments in the water as well as satellites that measure sea level. Researchers then use these measurements to calculate the average heat gained in the oceans worldwide. When sunlight reaches the Earth's surface, the oceans absorb most of this energy and store it as heat. Water has a much higher heat capacity than air, so the oceans absorb larger amounts of heat energy with only a slight increase in temperature. The oceans' ability to store heat is a crucial factor in moderating the pace of atmospheric warming. This heat is initially absorbed at the surface, but some of it eventually spreads to deeper waters. Increased heat absorption can change ocean currents that are driven by differences in temperature. Currents move heat around the world, influencing climate patterns and ecosystems. What are some concerns? Ocean warming causes sea level rise through thermal expansion and by melting glaciers and ice sheets. Sea level rise can damage infrastructure and make coastal communities more vulnerable to storm surges and flooding. Global average sea level has risen 8-9 inches since 1880. In places such as Norfolk, Virginia; Miami Beach, Florida; and the San Francisco Bay Area, California, substantial investments are being made to cope with frequent coastal flooding that disrupts daily life and business operations. Warmer ocean water also provides more energy for storms to develop and intensify. From 2000-2021, tropical cyclones in the U.S. caused $1 trillion in damages and 6,200 deaths. Ocean warming could result in even greater damage to property, infrastructure, and human health and safety. Marine heatwaves-periods of abnormally warm ocean temperatures- can be caused by natural variability, but studies report that ocean warming is making them more frequent, intense, and prolonged. Marine heatwaves can stress and kill marine life and disrupt ecosystems. For example, they can cause coral bleaching, which can lead to the death of coral reefs and the ecosystems that depend on them. As the ocean warms, some marine species move to cooler waters because they can only tolerate certain temperatures. Such changes can disrupt food chains and ecosystems. This can lead to a decline in fish populations and have cascading impacts on other marine life and the industries and communities that rely on them. For example, higher temperatures in the Bering Sea have been linked to a population collapse of snow crabs, with 10 billion crabs disappearing between 2018 and 2021. Ocean warming can lead to more harmful algal blooms, which can produce toxins that can sicken people who eat seafood. These toxins can cause a range of health problems, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and neurological problems. source a GAO (ilustrati'- | GAO-24-1706 What are the knowledge gaps? Global ocean heat inventory. Due to insufficient reliable measurements, there is limited knowledge about current and historical temperatures and warming across different oceans and depths. This leads to large uncertainties related to weather forecasts and prediction of extreme weather events, long-term impacts of ocean warming and adaptation capacity on ecosystems and species, and related management and governance issues. Marine ecosystem impacts. The impact of ocean warming on marine ecosystems is not fully understood. This includes the effects of warming on marine biodiversity and food webs. Ocean currents and circulation. The effects of ocean warming on ocean currents and circulation patterns are not well understood. Changes in these patterns could have significant impacts on global climate and weather patterns. Ocean currents play a critical role in regulating Earth's climate by transporting heat from one part of the world to another. GAO-24-107068 Ocean Warming

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