Space-time evolution of ocean weather extreme events

May 15, 2023
Trajectories of long, large, and strongly propgating space-time ocean acidity (pH-Aragonite) extremes in the northeast Pacific Ocean from 1984 to 2019. Adapted from Desmet et al. (2022).

Extreme events, such as heatwaves or droughts, have severe environmental and socio-economic impacts on land. The same applies to the ocean, where extreme events impact ecosystems and the ocean biogeochemistry. Yet, knowledge on marine extreme events remains limited. In this project, which is part of my PhD thesis, I uncovered the space-time characteristics and leading mechanisms of ocean acidity extreme events, defined as spatiotemporal coherent volumes of rare pH and Aragonite (mineral form of CaCO$_3$) conditions. By tracking volumes of extreme acidity conditions in space and time, we also gained insight into the timescales and length scales of extreme conditions perceived by drifting marine organisms.

  • Desmet, F., Gruber, N., Köhn, E. E., Münnich, M., Vogt, M., Tracking the space-time evolution of ocean acidification extremes in the California Current System and Northeast Pacific. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 127, (2022).
Ocean modeling Tracking oceanic extreme events Physical processes Clustering
Flora Desmet
Flora Desmet
Postdoctoral researcher

Researcher working on the climate benefit of carbon farming solutions in the Climate and Agriculture group at Agroscope (Switzerland).