“Hot blob.” An unusual phenomenon off the coast of New Zealand surprised scientists
When you look at the water temperature map in the Pacific Ocean, you can see an intense red spot near New Zealand. According to “The Guardian”, the phenomenon worries scientists because the temperature in this place is almost 6 degrees Celsius higher than normal. What is the explanation for this phenomenon?
He writes about an unusual phenomenon “The Guardian”naming them “hot blob”That is “hot drop, stain”. Just the word “blob” to describe the mass of warmer water has been used since 2013, when scientists first observed such a phenomenon in the Pacific. “The Blob” were also observed in subsequent years in various places off the coast of North America.
Now the phenomenon has occurred near New Zealand. “Hot blob” covers an area of at least one million square kilometers. It is 1.5 times the size of Texas and four times the size of New Zealand itself. It was investigated by scientists from Victoria University in Wellington. Researcher James Renwick, head of the department of geography, environment and earth sciences, admits that water temperatures in the area have been rising rapidly in recent weeks. – This is the largest patch of above-average warming on the planet today. Normally the temperature (of water – ed.) in this area is about 15 degrees. It’s 20 degrees there at the moment – comments the scientist.
What’s the cause?
Renwick admits that the reason for this phenomenon may be the growing emissions of greenhouse gases resulting from climate change. But in his opinion, the phenomenon is mainly caused by naturally occurring phenomena – a combination of high pressure and a lack of wind. However, the scientist emphasizes that the appearance of such a large patch of warm water is unusual. “It’s not uncommon to see patches of warmer water off the coast of New Zealand, but magnitudes of four, five or even six degrees Celsius are quite extraordinary,” he adds. – It is probably a very thin layer of water in the ocean that has warmed up, and there has been no wind to cool it for several weeks – explains the expert. Renwick emphasizes that the phenomenon may have an adverse impact on ocean fauna.
Scientists are planning further measurements in the coming weeks to clearly determine the causes of the phenomenon and assess its impact on the ocean environment. “The Guardian” recalls that two years ago, New Zealand experienced a heat wave during which the temperature was on average 3 degrees higher than average. This influenced the behavior of tropical fish species from around Australia, which also began to appear in other places where they had not been seen before.
