Record Ocean Heat Content (OHC) for 2022: OHC and Climate Connections

The ocean heat content of 2022 reached a new record and the year saw the highest global sea level. Ninety percent of global warming is occurring in the ocean, causing the water’s internal heat to increase since modern record keeping began in 1955. Heat stored in the ocean causes its water to expand, which is responsible for one-third to one-half of global sea level rise. Most of the added energy is stored at the surface, at a depth of zero to 700 meters. This session will explore how OHC is measured, why it is an important climate change metric, and the new research challenges.