Part 8: Climate and Oceans
The Ocean-Climate Connection
The ocean is the dominant component of Earth's climate system, storing 93% of excess heat and absorbing ~30% of anthropogenic CO₂. Ocean circulation, El Niño, and sea level rise are critical aspects of climate science.
Topics in This Part
8.1 Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction
Heat flux, evaporation, gas exchange
8.2 El Niño & La Niña
ENSO dynamics, global impacts, prediction
8.3 Ocean Heat Content
Heat storage, marine heatwaves, warming trends
8.4 Sea Level Rise
Thermal expansion, ice melt, projections
8.5 Paleoceanography
Past ocean conditions, proxies, climate archives
Climate Numbers
93%
Excess heat absorbed by oceans
~3.4 mm/yr
Current sea level rise rate
30%
Anthropogenic CO₂ absorbed