Deep oceans might stabilize Earth’s temperature for decades

Deep oceans might stabilize Earth’s temperature for decades According to a new study, deep oceans might help stabilize the Earth's temperature for decades, thus stopping global warming by absorbing enough heat.

The new study jointly by US and Australian scientists used computer simulations of global climate to investigate where the why despite steadily climbing emissions in the last decade, the global temperatures did not rise correspondingly. Satellite measurements also outlined a discrepancy between sunlight received and radiation emitted by the planet.

The study found that ocean layers deeper than 1,000 feet are the main location of the "missing heat" during periods, including the last decade when greenhouse emissions rise was much more than rise in global temperatures.

NCAR's Gerald Meehl, lead author of the study said, "We will see global warming go through hiatus periods in the future. However, these periods would likely last only about a decade or so, and warming would then resume. This study illustrates one reason why global temperatures do not simply rise in a straight line."

The study by scientists at NCAR and the Bureau of Meteorology in Australia was published in the journal Nature Climate Change on 18 September.