Copernicus OCEAN STATE REPORT

SUMMARY
Marine Service

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OCEAN STATE REPORT
ISSUE 2, 2018

COPERNICUS MARINE SERVICE

OCEAN
STATE
REPORT
Issue 2, 2018
Journal of Operational Oceanography Volume 11, Supplement 1

Journal of Operational Oceanography

Volume 11, Supplement 1

Implemented by

14/08/18 9:22 PM

Implemented by:
ABOUT THE
OCEAN STATE REPORT
Written by more than 100 scientific experts
from more than 30 European institutions, the
ABOUT THE COPERNICUS
Copernicus Marine Service Ocean State Report MARINE SERVICE
provides a comprehensive and state-of-the-
art assessment of the current state, natural
The Copernicus Marine Service (also
variations, and changes in the global ocean
referred to as CMEMS) is dedicated to
and European regional seas. It is meant to
ocean observation and monitoring. Funded
act as a reference document for the ocean
by the European Union and implemented by
scientific community, business community,
Mercator Ocean International, a center for
policy and decision-makers as well as the
global ocean analysis and forecasting, the
general public.
Copernicus Marine Services is one of six
The Ocean State Report draws on expert services of the EU Copernicus Programme.
analysis and provides a 4-D view (reanalysis
It provides regular and systematic core
systems), from above (through satellite remote
reference information on the state of the
sensing data) and directly from the interior (in
physical oceans and European regional
situ measurements) of the blue (hydrography,
seas. It is designed to serve commercial
currents), white (sea ice) and green (e.g.
sectors and scientific communities as
chlorophyll) ocean.
well as to support major EU policies that
Scientific integrity is assured through a can contribute to: combating pollution,
process of independent peer review in protection of marine species, maritime
collaboration with the Journal of Operational safety and routing, sustainable exploitation
Oceanography. This summary highlights a few of ocean resources, marine energy
selected results of the report. resources, climate monitoring and weather
forecasting. It also aims to increase
awareness amongst the general public by
providing European and global citizens with
information about ocean-related issues.

1 Global 4 NWS 6 Med Sea

2 Arctic 5 IBI 7 Black Sea

3 Baltic
 BLUE OCEAN
MERIDIONAL
OVERTURNING
CIRCULATION (MOC)
The Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) can
be thought of as the conveyor belt of ocean currents.
This global process is responsible for transporting
enormous amounts of water and heat around the
Earth, and serves to connect the atmosphere, ocean
surface, and the deep sea. This in turn contributes
to the climate we experience today. It is driven by
the differences in temperature and salt content
(generally, cold salty water sinks and fresh warmer
water rises) and also by wind. In the Atlantic, the
Atlantic MOC (AMOC) affects global and European
climate at decadal and longer time scales as well as
the formation of new water masses. It is thus vital to
monitor variations and changes in the AMOC.
Wa r
m s u r f a c e fl o w
Cold subsurface flow
SPECIAL FOCUS IN THE OCEAN STATE
REPORT ON THE NORTH ATLANTIC :
A KEY REGION FOR THE EUROPEAN
AND GLOBAL CLIMATE
• The AMOC showed considerable variability
over the period 1993-2016. Its strength has
weakened since about 2005, which is driven
by long-term variability rather than an ongoing
trend.
• Over the past 25 years, the Gulf Stream has
decelerated.
• There was a cold event that started in 2014
and persisted to 2016 in the North Atlantic
that stood out in contrast to the warmer
ocean temperatures observed in the global
ocean. This event was characterized by
deep penetrating (more than 1000 meters)
cold temperatures and low salinity in the
subpolar area. However, similar conditions
were observed from 1993 to 1997. Inverse
conditions (warm and high salinity) are
reported from 2004 to 2009 in this same area.
BLUE OCEAN

EARTH’S ENERGY Nearly 0.5 to 1.0 Watts per square meter

of excess heat from human activities is
Incoming
solar
IMBALANCE trapped in the Earth system and is driving radiation
global warming. About 93% of that excess
heat is absorbed by the ocean. As a
consequence, the global ocean and regional
European seas are warming.

Emitted

~ 3%
infrared
radiation
of the excess
energy is warming the
land and
atmosphere

Human
influence

~ 4%
of the excess
energy is
melting ice

~93%
of the excess
energy is absorbed
by the ocean

SEA LEVEL RISE
Sea level rise can seriously effect human populations
in coastal and island regions and natural environments
like marine ecosystems. Global mean and regional
sea level is affected by natural climate variability,
as well as by human-induced changes. Because of
ocean warming and land ice mass loss, the sea level
rises. Water expands when heated and about 30% of
contemporary sea level rise can be attributed to this
thermal expansion (i.e. thermosteric sea level).
OCEAN HEAT CONTENT is the total amount of heat
stored in the ocean (from top to bottom). A warming
ocean causes thermal expansion and contributes
to contemporary sea level rise. Thermal stress can
contribute to coral bleaching and infectious diseases,
changes in ocean water layers, currents, and increased
sea ice melt. Moreover, a warming ocean alters ocean
currents and modifies air-sea interactions, affecting
weather and climate patterns from local to global
scales.

Figure source: modified after von Schuckmann et al., 2016, Nature Climate Change, (DOI: 10.1038/NCLIMATE2876 https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate2876)
IN THE LAST QUARTER
OF A CENTURY GLOBAL THERMOSTERIC SEA LEVEL IS RISING

+1.2 mm PER YEAR

Trend from 2005 to 2016
Depth layer 0-2000 meters.
Uncertainty: ± 0.2 mm/year

Sea level rise is mainly due to melting ice & thermal expansion (water
expands when heated), a phenomena referred to as thermosteric rise.
About 30% of contemporary sea level rise can be attributed to this thermal
expansion.

GLOBAL SEA LEVEL IS RISING

GLOBAL SEA SURFACE
TEMPERATURE HAS INCREASED
Units: °C/year - Trend from 1993-2016
3.3 mm PER YEAR
Trend from 1993-2016
Units: mm/yr
Uncertainty: ± 0.5 mm/yr

+0.04 +2.7 +3.3

+
-  0.004 +-  0.9 +-  0.5

°C/YEAR

MEDITERRANEAN MEDITERRANEAN IBERIAN BISCAY

SEA SEA IRISH SEA

+0.08 +4.0 +2.8

+-  0.008 +0.03
+-  0.007
+0.03
+-  0.007
+-  2.9 +2.6 +-  2.5
+-  0.8

BALTIC NORTH BLACK

BLACK NORTH BALTIC
SEA WEST SHELF SEA
SEA WEST SHELF SEA

GLOBAL OCEAN HEAT CONTENT HAS INCREASED

+0.8 Watts
PER SQUARE METER
Trend from 1993-2016
Depth layer: 0-700 meters
Units : W/m² / Uncertainty : 0.1 W/m²

+1.3 +0.9 +0.7 +0.6

+-  0.2
+-  0.4 + 0.8
-  +-  0.1

MEDITERRANEAN IBERIAN BISCAY NORTH ARCTIC

SEA IRISH SEA WEST SHELF OCEAN
BLUE OCEAN
EXTREME Over the last decades the sea level has risen, which may lead to storms
(especially extreme storms) having a stronger impact on coasts
VARIABILITY (storm surge) through coastal flooding and ensuing damage to coastal
infrastructures.
IN EUROPE
 5  1  Record-breaking wave heights are
observed along the European coast at
two monitoring stations in the northwest
of Great Britain, particularly during the
 1
 2 years 2009, 2013, and 2014. For example,
in 2013, the buoy in the north of the
British Isles showed the highest-ever
 4 significant wave height recorded by such
 2
an instrument, reaching 19 meters.
  2  Extreme wave heights are lower than
average in the Canary Islands, south
 2 of Spain, English Channel, Irish Sea,
Mediterranean and Baltic Seas during
2016.
  3  In Europe, the most extreme warm

conditions were observed in the Gulf of

Cadiz.
  4  In 2016, there are anomalously low sea
levels along the southeastern coast of
Sweden (as much as 10 cm lower than the
last 2 decades).
 3   5  The lowest coastal sea level and
 2
 2 significant wave height is observed in the
Baltic Sea, which is possibly related to
lower levels of storminess.

OVER THE PAST

QUARTER OF A CENTURY

  3

 2
LEGEND
 1

Heat loss from the ocean

into the atmosphere

Figure modified after Pinardi et al. (2006). Pinardi,

N., M. Zavatarelli, E. Arneri, A. Crise, M. Ravaioli, 2006:
The physical, sedimentary and ecological structure
and variability of shelf areas in the Mediterranean
Sea. In Robinson, A.R., K. H. Brink: The global ocean
interdisciplinary regional studies and syntheses.
Harvard University Press Cambridge, MA and London.
SPECIAL FOCUS
ON THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA:
MONITORING MAJOR OCEANIC
PROCESSES WITH IMPACT
ON EUROPEAN CLIMATE
LEGEND
The Mediterranean Sea is an engine transforming fresh and warm Atlantic
water into saltier and cooler Mediterranean waters, which eventually Symbols in RED signify a higher
outflows to the Atlantic. Any alterations in this overturning circulation can than average anomaly (higher than
average quantity/amount)
have a strong impact on the European weather and climate. One of the
most important processes driving this circulation is the formation of deep Symbols in BLUE signify a lower
than average anomaly (lower than
and intermediate water masses through convection. These processes average quantity/amount)
do not occur regularly, however their strength and characteristics can
drastically change the overturning circulation in the Mediterranean
Sea. For this reason, the Copernicus Marine Service has implemented Salinity
constant monitoring of open ocean deep convection. Below are years
that such convection events took place in key areas. Sea level

This figure shows the overturning circulation in the Mediterranean Sea. At surface and intermediate Temperature
water layers, the circulation is forced by exchanges at Gibraltar and water mass formation in the
northern Levantine basin. In the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the vertical circulation is forced by deep
water mass formation in the southern Adriatic and Aegean Seas. In the western Mediterranean Sea, Significant wave height
the meridional circulation is forced by water mass formation in the Gulf of Lion. The spirals indicate
areas where ocean/atmosphere conditions favor water mass processes during winter time. The box Ocean transport
areas indicate the areas where CMEMS monitoring is performed.

 1  The Straight of Gibraltar is the last

gateway for water following out of the
Mediterranean Sea into the Atlantic Ocean,
which shows a warming and increased
salinity trend over the past decade.
  2  The Sicily Channel is the main passage
connecting the western and eastern
Mediterranean Sea. Over the past 30 years
there has been a warming and increased
  4 salinity trend in the intermediate waters
passing through this gateway.
  3  Water mass formation in the Gulf of
Lion for the western Mediterranean deep
waters: 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1999,
2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
  4  Water mass formation in the south

  5 Adriatic Pit for the eastern Mediterranean

deep waters: 1988-1991, 1992, 1993, 1996,
1999, 2006, 2013
  5  Water mass formation in the Cretan
  6 Sea/Aegean Sea for intermediate and
deep waters; 1989-1990, 1991, 1992, 1993,
2006-2008, 2012
  6  Water mass formation in the Rhodes
Gyre area for Levantine Intermediate and
deep waters: 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993,
2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2015

Dates in bold signify particularly strong convection events

WHITE OCEAN

Over the past quarter of a century sea ice volume and extent have drastically changed across the southern and
northern hemisphere polar regions and the Baltic Sea. In 2016, global sea ice melted at a pace far faster than
ever observed since our earliest records dating back to the 1980s.

NORTHERN ARCTIC - 6.2% -780 000 km 2

sea ice extent loss at a per decade of sea ice extent loss (1993-2016)
HEMISPHERE rate per decade (1993-2016) Uncertainty: ± 70 000 km²/decade

Northern Hemisphere Sea Ice Extent Average by Year

Ten of the lowest

Arctic summer sea
ice extent values took The figure shows the annual mean sea
Since 1993, there has been an accelerated sea
ice extent loss of nearly 780 000 km² per decade
place in the last ten ice extent (1993 to 2016) averaged over
the northern hemisphere as expressed (with an uncertainty of 70 000 km²/decade) due
years.* in kilometers squared (km2). Evaluated to contemporary global warming.

* Ever observed on record from ocean reanalyses. Source: CMEMS

by satellites Ocean Monitoring Indicators (OMI) marine.
copernicus.eu/science-learning/ocean-
monitoring-indicators/catalogue

Over the past quarter of a century, the Arctic

has lost sea ice volume at a rate of 15.4% per
decade. Accordingly, the Arctic Ocean freshwater
content has increased since the mid-1990s
and shows a record high in 2016. The record
decrease of sea ice extent and volume reported
in 2016 is related to a combination of above
average ocean heat exchange through the Fram
and Bering straits into the Arctic region and
global warming. The summer of 2012 still has
the lowest levels of sea ice extent on record
since the beginning of satellite observations.

The figure shows the September average (from 1993-2014) and

September average for the years 2012 and 2016 of sea ice extent in
the Arctic Ocean. Evaluated from ocean reanalyses.
 Sea
ice extent
at record lows
in 2016 in
both poles.

SOUTHERN ANTARCTIC +1.6 % +200 000 km2

sea ice extent gain per per decade of sea ice extent gain (1993-2016)
HEMISPHERE decade trend (1993-2016) Uncertainty: ± 100 000 km²/decade

Southern Hemisphere Sea Ice Extent Average by Year

There
was a record low
sea ice extent
in the Antarctic
in 2016.*
* Ever observed on record
by satellites Aside from the large sea ice extent drop in 2016, the Antarctic
The figure shows the annual sea ice extent had been slowly but steadily expanding, with a
mean sea ice extent (1993 record high in 2014 that lasted several months. Over the past
to 2016) averaged over the
decades the Antarctic has been growing at a rate of 1.6% sea
southern hemisphere as
ice extent increase per decade and by 8.8% sea ice volume
expressed in kilometers
squared (km2). Evaluated from increase per decade from 1993 to 2016. Possible reasons for
ocean reanalyses. Source: the large contemporary variations of sea ice gains and losses
CMEMS Ocean Monitoring in the Antarctic Ocean can include, for example, changes in
Indicators (OMI) marine. ocean hydrography and variations at the air-sea-interface such
copernicus.eu/science- as wind-driven processes. Understanding the precise role and
learning/ocean-monitoring- interplay between these different processes remains an area
indicators/catalogue of active research.

Unexpectedly, the sea ice extent in the Antarctic

Ocean decreased dramatically during the last
months of 2016 with the lowest values observed
compared to the past two decades. This low
Antarctic sea ice extent in 2016 is associated
with unusually warm air temperatures and
thinning sea ice driven by winds. This resulted
in record low values of sea ice extent. The
unusual loss in sea ice extent in December
2016 was nearly 2.8 million square kilometers
below average, far outside previously reported
changes.

The figure shows the December average (from 1993-2014) and the
December average for the year 2016 of sea ice extent in the Antarctic
Ocean. Evaluated from ocean reanalyses.
GREEN OCEAN
CARBON
CARBON CYCLE Phytoplankton is a single-celled algae found in both fresh and salty
COMPONENTS waters. It makes up the base of the marine food chain and plays
an important role in the Earth’s carbon cycle. It grows through
photosynthesis and requires nutrients.

Physical Carbon Pump Organic Carbon Pump

Two mechanisms drive the physical carbon pump:
1) At high latitudes (e.g. subpolar ocean) ocean temperatures are cold.
As a consequence, the solubility of CO2 is higher and ingassing of CO2
from the atmosphere into the ocean occurs. Carbon is then pulled into
the deep ocean through convection and formation of deep water (see
Blue Ocean) and is stored there and redistributed by ocean currents.
2) At low latitudes (e.g. tropics), ocean surface temperatures are high,
and consequently the solubility of CO2 is lower. Additionally, wind-
driven ocean upwelling brings up stored carbon from the deep ocean
layers to the surface, and outgassing occurs from the ocean into the
atmosphere.
In order to grow, phytoplankton use sunlight, consume dissolved CO2 as
well as nutrients, and release oxygen during photosynthesis. CO2, vital
for the creation of life, is then transformed into organic carbon, building
the phytoplankton cells. As this organic matter is processed by bacteria,
zooplankton and their consumers, a fraction of it ends up as dead organic
and fecal material that sinks into deeper ocean layers.
Bacteria decompose part of this sinking organic matter, using oxygen,
and releasing CO2 and nutrients as part of a more general process called
remineralization. The CO2 escapes back into the atmosphere (outgassing)
or is reused or redistributed through ocean currents, along with the re-
released nutrients. Some of the dead organisms (organic carbon) sink
into the deep ocean bottom layer, trapping carbon there for sometimes
thousands of years.

Wind displaces
surface waters
allowing cold deep
waters to upwell

Atmosphere
CO₂ CO₂ Photosynthesis CO₂ CO₂
Ingassing Atmosphere Outgassing takes place at the Ingassing Outgassing
ocean surface

Carbon Phytoplankton + consumers CO₂

DEPTH

dissolved Upwelling + nutrients

Deep
convection
Carbon dissolved Remineralization
in deep waters Sinking organic
material

High lattitudes Low lattitudes A fraction of the dead matter (organic carbon)
can be trapped at ocean floor for thousands of years
Increase in temperature

THE OCEAN IS ABSORBING CO 2 CO2 Sea-to-Air Exchange

About 1/4 of human-induced CO2 in the atmosphere is stored in the ocean

through carbon uptake. However, the price we pay for this buffering is the
acidification of the ocean.
Ocean State Report results show that during the 1990s there is a relatively
stable carbon uptake in the global ocean and a sharp increase in the
ocean’s uptake of carbon since the beginning of the 2000s. These results
are consistent with previous findings.
PgC.yr-1

This figure shows a negative CO2 Sea-to-Air Exchange over time,

which means that the ocean is absorbing atmospheric CO2. The red
line shows a CMEMS negative value of sea-to-air flux as expressed CO2 is leaving the atmosphere
in petagrams of carbon per year (PgC.yr-1). The dashed lines show
similar results from other scientific studies. and going into the ocean.
CHLOROPHYLL-a
(Chl-a)
Ocean Colour, as measured by satellites, is a proxy for the
measurement of chlorophyll-a in the ocean, the pigment produced by
green plants like phytoplankton. Phytoplankton in the ocean is vital for
the uptake of atmospheric CO2.
Phytoplankton is at the base of the marine food web and nearly half of
the production on Earth of organic matter takes place in the ocean. All
ocean life depends on this. Phytoplankton photosynthesis contributes
to more than half of the oxygen content in the Earth’s atmosphere
and it consumes an enormous amount of carbon. Consequently, any
changes in phytoplankton concentration must be closely monitored.

CHL-a TRENDS
Chl-a
increase

Trends in Chlorophyll-a from

September 1997-December 2016

Chl-a
This figure shows the spatial chlorophyll-a decrease
(Chl-a) trends from remote sensing data.
This shows significant trends over the past
2 decades, expressed as the percentage
per year.

Over the past 2 decades there have been

notable changes in Chl-a. In high latitudes Chl-a
Chl-a
has increased. In tropical areas Chl-a has
increase
decreased.

Black Sea North Atlantic Ocean

EUROPEAN SEAS,
THE NORTH ATLANTIC
AND THE ARCTIC
OCEANS
Baltic Sea
Regional Time Series of
Chlorophyll-a Concentration
by Sea from 1997-2016

Mediterranean Sea
The figure shows chlorophyll-a as
expressed in milligrams per cubic meters
(mg m-3). The black dots represent the daily
regional average and the red line is the Arctic Ocean
trend.

As reported in the Ocean State Report, there

is an increase in the average chlorophyll-a
concentrations in the European Seas, with the
exception of the Black Sea. There is also an
increase in the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean.
GREEN OCEAN

OCEAN OXYGEN (O 2 )
Oxygen (O2) is a vital element for life and is critical to the health of the planet. The oceans provide nearly half of
the world’s oxygen. As a result of mainly human activities, deoxygenation of the ocean has been observed over
the last decades. It is thus essential to monitor the changes and distribution of oxygen in the ocean.

World’s Ocean Minimum Oxygen Distribution... …and the Depths at which these Minimums Occur

The figure shows the minimum amount of oxygen found in the water
column as expressed in micromoles per kilogram (µ mol/kg). The
data is averaged over about 2 decades.
The figure shows the depth (in meters) where the oxygen minimum
is found in the water column (shown in the figure to the left) as
expressed in micromoles per kilogram (µ mol/kg). Shown are only the
depth values where the oxygen minimum is < 90 μ mol/kg). The rest
is not shown (seen in white in the figure).

OXYGEN MINIMUM ZONES (OMZ)

Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) distribution is controlled by ocean circulation as
well as local biogeochemical and physical processes. Oxygen Minimum Zones
with O2 concentrations reaching the suboxic threshold (low levels of O2) are
predominantly found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. In the Atlantic Ocean,
areas with intense O2 minimums are found close to eastern coastal regions.
Large areas of low oxygen levels are formed when there is a large O2
demand such as in coastal upwelling systems where there is a high level
of primary productivity. Low O2 levels can have a devastating impact on
the ecosystem. This can include nitrogen loss, pH imbalances, carbon
outgassing and even the production of toxic gases, resulting in the mortality
of marine life. Over the recent decades, OMZs have expanded due to
a warming induced decrease in O2 solubility and changes in ocean
ventilation and circulation.

EUTROPHICATION Eutrophication Coastal Hypoxia

 1 Agricultural run-off and   3  This bloom can block sunlight
other pollutants (which contain from penetrating into the water
nutrients) are flushed into the
  4  This inhibits photosynthesis of
ocean by rains or drainage.
the phytoplankton and other plant
  2  These nutrients can cause life below, killing them.
phytoplankton and algae to grow
  5  The algae bloom dies and
1 rapidly on the surface and reduce
sinks to the bottom of the shallow
3 Block water quality.
sunlight ocean. Bacteria decompose this
dead organic matter, a process
that consumes oxygen.
2 Algal bloom
  6  This process leaves the
+ Phytoplankton
Phosphorus shallow water layer with very little
Nitrogen 6 oxygen (a state of hypoxia). This
4 is devastating to the ecosystem
and in some cases the zones can
5 become nearly lifeless.
DEOXYGENATION The Black Sea is entirely anoxic (has little
oxygen) except for a thin ventilated oxic layer
IN THE BLACK SEA (oxygen from the atmosphere disolves in the
ocean) on the surface , which is about 10% of
the Black Sea’s volume.
In the last 60 years there has been a decrease
in the amount of oxygen in the Black Sea.
This oxygenated layer has narrowed from
about 140 meters (m) to about 70m, which is
linked to reduced deep winter ventilation as a
consequence of global warming.

Ventilation O₂ from the atmosphere enters O₂ O₂

of water the ocean and the oxygen-enriched COLD DENSE WATER FORMATION WITH
O₂ surface waters are brought to depth. GLOBAL WARMING
Because of warming, the cold water formation in the
winter is less pronounced. Consequently, less cold
dense water formation occurs, meaning there is less
O₂ O₂ O₂ O₂ oxygen ventilation.
OXIC LAYER

-70 m OXYCLINE TODAY

COLD DENSE WATER FORMATION WITH
NORMAL CONDITIONS
Each winter the ocean temperatures fall. This allows
cold, oxygen-rich surface waters on the shelf to sink
-140 m OXYCLINE IN THE 1950s
ANOXIC LAYER

and ventilate the lower part of the oxic later.

OXIC LAYER ANOXIC LAYER OXYCLINE

An oxygen-rich ocean layer expanding An oxygen-poor ocean layer expanding from An ocean layer separating the oxic and anoxic layers.
from the surface down to the oxycline. the oxycline down to the bottom of the ocean.

DEOXYGENATION IN THE BLACK

SEA SINCE THE 1950s Data collected
from ships
Data from Argo
profiling floats that dive

The figure shows the oxygen inventory

(the amount of oxygen in the water
column) from 1955 to 2016 in black as
expressed in moles per meters squared
(mol/m²). The red represents the
downward trend. There is a separte data
set in 2010 shown in blue.

BALTIC SEA
According to a recent HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Summer Chlorophyll-a Bloom Coverage:
Commission) assessment, the Baltic Sea is classified as an Monitoring of Eutrophication in the Baltic Sea by Year
eutrophicated marine area. This eutrophication is caused by a
combination of human-induced over-enrichment of nutrients and
climate change.
The Ocean State Report shows the presence of summer bloom events
in the Baltic Sea over the past 20 years. In the last two decades
eutrophication effects have been documented every summer, which
varied in extent and strength from year to year. For example, particularly
strong events were observed in 2005 and 2008, while the blooms in 1998
and 2012 were less severe.

The figure shows a time series of the average Baltic Sea summer
blooms from 1998 to 2016. The spatiotemporal coverage is
expressed in kilometers squared per day (day·km²). Red: surface
bloom; blue: subsurface bloom.
ANOMALIES 2016

NORTH WEST
SHELF BALTIC
SEA

2016 SELECTED
ANOMALIES
EUROPEAN
REGIONAL SEAS
BLACK
SEA
IBERIA
BISCAY IRISH
MEDITERRANEAN
SEA

* Larger icons represent basin-wide changes.

PACIFIC ATLANTIC
2016 SELECTED
ANOMALIES
GLOBAL OCEANS
 LEGEND
Symbols in RED signify a higher Symbols in BLUE signify a lower
than average anomaly (higher than than average anomaly (lower
average quantity/amount) than average quantity/amount)

Ocean surface currents

Salinity

Carbon dioxide
sea-to-air exchange Temperature
ANOMALIES
Amount of oxygen Convection In this report “anomaly” is
defined as the difference of a
Chl-a – Chlorophyll-a Sea level measurement when compared
to an average over a long time
Ocean transport
Significant wave height period. For example, the sea
Ocean freshwater content
surface temperature in 2016
(in some areas) was higher than
Ocean heat content
the sea surface temperature
Extreme variability averaged over 1993 to 2014 in
Sea ice extent those same areas.

ARCTIC OCEAN

PACIFIC

INDIAN OCEAN

ANTARCTIC
 Copernicus
Marine Service
JOIN THE COPERNICUS MARINE SERVICE COMMUNITY
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karina.von.schuckmann@mercator-ocean.fr
C O N TACT
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The Ocean State Report is a supplement of the Journal of
Operational Oceanography (JOO), an official Publication of
the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology
(IMarEST), published by Taylor & Francis Group.
In accordance with the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivatives License, this
summary properly cites and does not alter nor transform the
original work.
Journal of Operational Oceanography ISSN
1755-876X (Print) 1755-8778 (Online)
Implemented by:
Mercator Ocean Copernicus Marine Service
@ MercatorOcean @CMEMS_EU
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Copernicus Marine Service
Citation: von Schuckmann, K., P.-Y. Le Traon, N. Smith,
A. Pascual, P. Brasseur, K. Fennel, S. Djavidnia (2018)
Copernicus Marine Service Ocean State Report, Issue 2,
Journal of Operational Oceanography, 11:sup1, s1–s142,
DOI: 10.1080/1755876X.2018.1489208
October 2018 - Layout : Atelier JamJam.
Link to full Ocean State Report: https://www.tandfonline.com/
doi/full/10.1080/1755876X.2018.1489208
Disclaimer: This summary is written in collaboration with both
scientists and communications professionals and it is intended
to provide some context and basic scientific explanation
surrounding the key findings of the Ocean State Report.