WOD Update - 2

Fig. 1 Researchers on dogsleds in Greenland

Fig. 2 WOD Layers

I. Background

In the first post of this series I pointed out how many measurements I used from the World Ocean Database (WOD).

Fig. 3 Layer 0, CT

Fig. 4 Layer 4, CT

Fig. 5 Layer 8, CT

Fig. 6 Layer 12, CT

Fig. 7 Layer 15, CT

Fig. 8 Layer 16, CT

Fig. 9 All Layers, CT

Fig. 10 All Layers, Ocean Heat Content (OHC)

I concluded that "22,970,125" casts contained "5,454,896,887" in situ measurements (WOD Update).

(A "cast" contains measurements and information beyond date, temperature, salinity, latitude, longitude, and depth, so I don't use all of the data in each cast.)

The "5,454,896,887" figure is for measurements that passed the tests that exclude values outside the ranges set by the WOD in Appendix 11 of the User's Manual.

Those figures, even though they are huge numbers, do not include the OMG, SOCCOM, or WHOI datasets (so those huge numbers are only the WOD measurements).

I have updated those three datasets and added them to my annual SQL database along with the WOD data.

So, I now have a working dataset on my SQL server from which I made today's graphs, and from which I will do all TEOS-10 calculations until the next update in about a year.

II. Interesting Times

This update comes at an "interesting time" as a comparison of Fig. 1 with Fig. 11 shows.

The Greenland melt is off to an early start as Dr. Jason Box indicated a while back (see the video at the end of this post).

But, surface melt is not the main factor in the types of melt that endanger civilization.

Tidewater glacier melt is the largest producer of sea level change (SLC).

Over 90% of the solar radiation from the Sun as well as the trapped heat in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (global warming) end up in the world oceans (The Ghost Plumes, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; The Ghost Photons, 2, 3).

The fact that surface melt is less than subsurface melt may not be apparent because the latter is happening "under the covers" (The Photon Current, 2).

The surface melt is happening out in plain sight where it garners the most attention from the warming commentariat (Fig. 11).

This can lead to misguided, even if well-intentioned, hypotheses (On Resplandy Et Alia (2018), 2, 3).

III. Deep Thoughts

Another problem that blocks understanding of the surface melt volume vs subsurface melt volume reality is that researchers historically haven't measured the deeper (e.g. Abyssopelagic) and deepest (Hadopelagic) depth levels anywhere near as frequently as they have the upper two depth levels (Epipelagic and Mesopelagic).

Pursuant to the laws of thermodynamics, hot flows to cold and warm flows to cool.

So, when searching and researching for Ocean Heat Content (OHC), it is more efficient to look to the tidewater glacier areas where warming waters are radiating infrared photons into glacial ice and ice shelfs.

The OHC that is "missing" to those who don't do deep enough research, is actually moving downward even to the bottom of the oceans.

In that sense, reality is moving further and further away from those who read too many oceanography textbooks (Weekend Rebel Science Excursion - 21).

IV. Deep Graphs

The graph at Fig. 9 as well as the graph at Fig. 10 show that the Hadopelagic depth level

Fig. 11 ‘This should scare the hell out of you’

has more OHC in it per kilogram of seawater than the shallower Abyssopelagic depth level above it.

Those infrared photons will continue to radiate down into cooler depths to disappear from the shallows-only measuring researchers.

Those infrared photons will also continue to radiate into glacial ice to melt it, then disappear from any instruments in the hands of those who are not looking for photons.

The "missing" OHC is only "missing" to those who are not being efficient enough in their searches.

It is true that the graphs at Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 (showing Hadopelagic warming) are composed of data from all WOD layers, nevertheless the infrared photon migration is also visible in some of the individual layer graphs.

For example, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, and Fig. 6 show that, in recent years, the Hadopelagic depth at those latitudes is warmer (more OHC per kg of seawater) or as warm as the Abyssopelagic layer above it.

The graphs of polar areas at Fig. 3, Fig. 7, and Fig. 8, don't have Hadopelagic depths, but they indicate potential tidewater glacier impacts where infrared photons can radiate into the tidewater glacier ice surfaces.

V. Closing Comments

It is a lot of work to download the available data, then process it in order to produce the graphs that display what is taking place over the years of time.

However, that is not a valid excuse for not doing it.

Furthermore, we owe a debt of gratitude to all of the researchers and database administrators who allow us to use the data in order to see for ourselves what is taking place down under us.

The previous post in this series is here.

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