Faculty of Chemistry and Environment Science, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; Research Center for Coastal Environmental Protection and Ecological Remediation, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
School of Marine Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China.
Sci Total Environ. 2022 Jun 1;823:153414. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153414. Epub 2022 Feb 5.
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are events of anomalously high sea surface temperatures lasting for five days or more and have recently been linked to widespread environmental stress on marine organisms, though there are few studies in the Beibu Gulf. This study characterizes MHWs near Weizhou Island (21°00'-21°10' N, 109°00'-109°15' E) using a recently developed detection algorithm on a high-resolution satellite sea surface temperature (SST) product and considers their potential influence on coral bleaching events. Reanalysis data are used to investigate atmospheric factors in MHWs occurrences. Results showed that among a total of 112 MHWs having occurred from 1983 to 2020, eight discrete MHWs occurring throughout 2020 in Weizhou Island. Interestingly, although not the most intense in 2020, the June 3rd-August 2nd event lasted for an enormous 61 days with mean and maximum intensities of 2.68 °C and 1.73 °C above climatology, respectively. The reasons for the occurrence and severity of MHWs in 2020 the intensification of Northwest Pacific subtropical high and its extension leading to increased shortwave radiation reaching the sea surface during the summer, reduced typhoon activity in July, weakened wind fields north of 20.5°N, and an enhancement in sea level anomalies. These act in concert to prevent heat transport away from the Beibu Gulf and thus, more intense MHWs. A massive coral bleaching event occurred in 2020 and is highly likely to be linked to MHWs activity.
海洋热浪（MHWs）是指海面温度异常升高并持续五天或以上的事件，最近与海洋生物的广泛环境压力有关，但在北部湾地区的研究较少。本研究使用高分辨率卫星海面温度（SST）产品上最近开发的检测算法来描述涠洲岛（21°00'-21°10' N，109°00'-109°15' E）附近的 MHW，并考虑其对珊瑚白化事件的潜在影响。再分析数据用于研究 MHW 发生时的大气因素。结果表明，在 1983 年至 2020 年期间总共发生的 112 次 MHW 中，2020 年在涠洲岛发生了 8 次离散的 MHW。有趣的是，尽管在 2020 年不是最强烈的一次，但 6 月 3 日至 8 月 2 日的事件持续了 61 天，平均和最高强度分别比气候平均值高 2.68°C 和 1.73°C。2020 年 MHW 发生和严重程度的原因是西北太平洋副热带高压的加强及其延伸，导致夏季到达海面的短波辐射增加，7 月台风活动减少，20.5°N 以北的风场减弱，海平面异常增强。这些因素共同作用，防止热量从北部湾运走，从而导致更强烈的 MHW。2020 年发生了大规模的珊瑚白化事件，极有可能与 MHW 活动有关。
