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NOAA Ocean Climate Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
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Upper Ocean Heat Content Anomaly Data Plots

These figures show the current state of the ocean heat content anomaly. Historical data are from XBTs, CTDs, moorings, and other sources.  A preliminary ad-hoc fall rate correction has been applied to the XBT data in an attempt to correct for biases between XBT data and more accurate CTD data.  Recent estimates are based primarily on Argo profiling CTD float data. Satellite altimeter data from Aviso are used to estimate sampling errors. 


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plot of standard error

Standard sampling error for globally averaged OHCA of the upper 750 m. This quantity was computed using sea surface height anomaly maps from altimeter data and the historical sampling patterns for in situ profile data in each year as discussed in Lyman et al. 2006.  Sampling errors are not the entire error budget.  Instrument biases and errors in the climatology are among the other errors that must be considered in a complete error budget.  

Shown below are maps of ocean heat content anomaly from both in situ data and altimeter sea surface height mapping performed according to Willis et al. 2004.

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map showing upper ocean heat content anomaly for 2005

 

Estimate of the ocean heat content anomaly for 2007 referenced to a 1993-2007 base period.

map showing change in upper ocean heat content anomaly

Estimate of the change in ocean heat content anomaly from 2006 to 2007.

 

 

These data and plots are for research purposes only.
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