Publication Abstracts

Wood et al. 2024

Wood, R.A., J.A. Baker, G. Beaugrand, J. Boutin, A. Conversi, R.V. Donner, E. Goberville, H. Hayashida, W. Koeve, K. Kvale, A. Landolfi, W. Maslowski, A. Oschlies, A. Romanou, C.J. Somes, T.F. Stocker, and D. Swingedouw, 2024: Opportunities for Earth observation to inform risk management for ocean tipping points. Surv. Geophys., early on-line, doi:10.1007/s10712-024-09859-3.

As climate change continues, the likelihood of passing critical thresholds or tipping points increases (IPCC, in: Masson-Delmotte V, Zhai P, Pirani A, Connors SL, Péan C, Berger S, Caud N, Chen Y, Goldfarb L, Gomis MI, Huang M, Leitzell K, Lonnoy E, Matthews JBR, Maycock TK, Waterfield T, Yelekçi O, Yu R, and Zhou B (eds.) In: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2021). Hence there is a pressing need to advance the science for detecting such thresholds. In this paper, we assess the needs and opportunities for Earth Observation (EO, here understood to refer to satellite observations) to inform society in responding to the risks associated with ten potential large-scale ocean tipping elements: Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation; Atlantic Subpolar Gyre; Beaufort Gyre; Arctic halocline; Kuroshio Large Meander; deoxygenation; phytoplankton; zooplankton; higher level ecosystems (including fisheries); and marine biodiversity. We review current scientific understanding and identify specific EO and related modelling needs for each of these tipping elements. We draw out some generic points that apply across several of the elements. These common points include the importance of maintaining long-term, consistent time series; the need to combine EO data consistently with in situ data types (including subsurface), for example through data assimilation; and the need to reduce or work with current mismatches in resolution (in both directions) between climate models and EO datasets. Our analysis shows that developing EO, modelling and prediction systems together, with understanding of the strengths and limitations of each, provides many promising paths towards monitoring and early warning systems for tipping, and towards the development of the next generation of climate models.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{wo06100q,
  author={Wood, R. A. and Baker, J. A. and Beaugrand, G. and Boutin, J. and Conversi, A. and Donner, R. V. and Goberville, E. and Hayashida, H. and Koeve, W. and Kvale, K. and Landolfi, A. and Maslowski, W. and Oschlies, A. and Romanou, A. and Somes, C. J. and Stocker, T. F. and Swingedouw, D.},
  title={Opportunities for Earth observation to inform risk management for ocean tipping points},
  year={2024},
  journal={Surveys in Geophysics},
  doi={10.1007/s10712-024-09859-3},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - wo06100q
AU  - Wood, R. A.
AU  - Baker, J. A.
AU  - Beaugrand, G.
AU  - Boutin, J.
AU  - Conversi, A.
AU  - Donner, R. V.
AU  - Goberville, E.
AU  - Hayashida, H.
AU  - Koeve, W.
AU  - Kvale, K.
AU  - Landolfi, A.
AU  - Maslowski, W.
AU  - Oschlies, A.
AU  - Romanou, A.
AU  - Somes, C. J.
AU  - Stocker, T. F.
AU  - Swingedouw, D.
PY  - 2024
TI  - Opportunities for Earth observation to inform risk management for ocean tipping points
JA  - Surv. Geophys.
JO  - Surveys in Geophysics
DO  - 10.1007/s10712-024-09859-3
ER  -

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