Estimating and understanding the ocean heat content change

Exploring Changes in Ocean Heat Content: Estimation and Understanding

Ocean heat content (OHC) is a measure of ocean warming and is central to the global energy cycle and the other major Earth system cycles. Thus, OHC is a key indicator of climate change. Ocean warming also has extensive impacts and consequences, posing risks to marine ecosystems and human society.

In order to better understand this topic, the Blue-Cloud consortium has organised an internal webinar on 24 May 2023 with Professor Lijing Cheng.

During this an-hour online event, Cheng showcased the definition and key concepts of OHC and research priorities in a comprehensive presentation. After that, he introduced recent advances in estimating and monitoring OHC change, including data bias correction, quality control, and mapping.

These new developments lead to a revised and improved estimate of OHC, which gives important implications to the complementary sea level and the Earth’s energy budget. On the other hand, the presentation provided has also synthesised the recent understanding of ocean heat content changes from inter-annual to multi-decadal scales, from global to regional scales, using observations and models.

Blue-Cloud EOV Workbenches

In Blue-Cloud 2026, advanced Workbenches (WBs) are being developed to streamline data handling for Essential Ocean Variables (EOV). These tools enhance data harmonisation, validation, and qualification from various sources. These novel Workbenches leverage cloud tech, AI, and advanced analytics for improved data handling. They are set to be adopted by key initiatives, consistently producing validated data collections, enhancing oceanic simulations. The EOV Workbenches cover Physics, Eutrophication, and Ecosystem-level Variables.

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