Scuba Diving club, Southern
California
NOAA USING
SATELLITE DATA TO MONITOR HEAT STRESSES ON CORAL REEFS
February 25, 2003 — NOAA
scientists are using satellite data to monitor the long-term effects of heat stresses
on several coral reefs throughout the world. While the scientists have been
monitoring the stresses for some time, the NOAA
National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service is now
providing an operational product called “Degree Heating Week”. (Click
NOAA satellite image for larger view of Degree Heating Weeks for the past 12
weeks taken Feb. 25, 2003. Click here
for DHW.)
“Degree Heating Weeks
have been available experimentally for some time,” said Dr. Alan Strong,
coordinator of Coral
Reef Watch at NOAA Satellite and
Information Services. “Turning operational means that coral reef managers
and stake holders will now have up-to-date, accurate, and reliable information
on the status of their reefs and may be able to take active measures to prevent
further damage if their site has a high DHW rating.”
Using satellite-derived
information, DHWs continuously monitor the cumulative thermal stress of several
coral reefs throughout the globe, including Australia’s Great Barrier Reef,
Galapagos, the Bahamas and others. The extent and acuteness of thermal stress,
key predictors of coral bleaching, contribute to coral reef degradation
worldwide.
Coral reefs compose a
large and integral part of the coastal ocean, supporting a variety of sea life
and providing resources of significant economic importance. Coral bleaching
occurs as coral tissue expels zooxanthellae, a symbiotic algae essential to
coral survival that resides within the structure of the coral. Bleaching is
induced by high water temperatures.
A Degree Heating Week is
designed to indicate the accumulated stress experienced by coral reefs. For
example, if the current temperature of a reef site exceeds the maximum expected
summertime temperature by one degree Celsius, then the site receives a rating
of 1 DHW. If the current temperature at the site is two degrees Celsius above
the maximum expected summertime temperature or one degree above for a period of
two weeks, the site would receive a rating of 2 DHWs, and so on.
With the operational
product, NOAA Satellite and Information Services will provide continuous
technical support on a 24-hour, seven-day basis, and will maintain a Web site
which will be updated twice a week.
NOAA Satellite and
Information Services is the nation’s primary source of space-based meteorological
and climate data. NOAA Satellite and Information Services operates the nation's
environmental satellites, which are used for weather and ocean observation and
forecasting, climate monitoring and other environmental applications.
Applications include sea-surface temperature, fire detection and ozone
monitoring.
NOAA Satellite and
Information Services also operates three data centers, which house global data
bases in climatology, oceanography, solid earth geophysics, marine geology and
geophysics, solar-terrestrial physics, and paleoclimatology.
NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic
security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and
climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation’s
coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U. S. Department of Commerce.
Relevant
Web Sites
Scientist
say nearing last chance to save oceans reefs
Oil
Rigs into Artificial Reefs
NOAA Satellite and Information Services
Media
Contact:
Patricia Viets, NOAA Satellite and Information Services,
(301) 457-5005
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Posted August 30, 2003