Evolution of marine heatwaves in warming seas: the Mediterranean Sea case study - Aix-Marseille Université Accéder directement au contenu
Article Dans Une Revue Frontiers in Marine Science Année : 2023

Evolution of marine heatwaves in warming seas: the Mediterranean Sea case study

Justino Martínez
  • Fonction : Auteur
Francesca Elisa Leonelli
  • Fonction : Auteur
Emilio García-Ladona
  • Fonction : Auteur
Joaquim Garrabou
  • Fonction : Auteur
Diego Kersting
  • Fonction : Auteur
Andrea Pisano
  • Fonction : Auteur

Résumé

Anomalous warming of the upper ocean is increasingly being observed in the Mediterranean Sea. Extreme events, known as marine heatwaves (MHWs), can have a profound impact on marine ecosystems, and their correct detection and characterization are crucial to define future impact scenarios. Here, we analyze MHWs observed over the last 41 years (1982–2022) in the Mediterranean sea surface temperatures (SSTs). We show that the intensification in frequency, intensity, and duration of Mediterranean MHWs in recent years is mainly due to a shift in SST mean that occurred in the last two decades and largely reduced when analyzing detrended SST data. Detrending thus allows the use of a fixed climatology without overestimating MHW properties over time and distinguishes long-term warming (i.e., trend) from transient and abrupt SST changes. Analogous results are also found over a shorter temporal period, by analyzing 13 years (2007–2020) of in situ data collected at different depths (5 to 40 m) at Columbretes Islands. Additionally, the in situ analysis reveals that atmospheric summer heatwaves could affect a layer of 10 m in depth. Lastly, a catalogue of the major Mediterranean MHWs that have occurred since 1982 is presented. This catalogue evidences an exceptionally long-lasting and intense MHW, starting in May 2022 and persisting, at least, until the end of the year, resulting in the event with the highest cumulative intensity just after the well-known 2003 MHW event.
Fichier principal
Vignette du fichier
fmars-10-1193164.pdf (11.61 Mo) Télécharger le fichier
Origine : Fichiers éditeurs autorisés sur une archive ouverte

Dates et versions

hal-04531127 , version 1 (04-04-2024)

Licence

Paternité

Identifiants

Citer

Justino Martínez, Francesca Elisa Leonelli, Emilio García-Ladona, Joaquim Garrabou, Diego Kersting, et al.. Evolution of marine heatwaves in warming seas: the Mediterranean Sea case study. Frontiers in Marine Science, 2023, 10, ⟨10.3389/fmars.2023.1193164⟩. ⟨hal-04531127⟩
35 Consultations
6 Téléchargements

Altmetric

Partager

Gmail Facebook X LinkedIn More