GBR - Early signs of Bleaching

[Alan E Strong]

BLEACHING NOTE

- Great Barrier Reef shows first signs of bleaching -

Today NOAA has issued a press release:

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s849.htm

discussing a possible El Nino event that may be in the making for later
this year.
At the beginning of this week Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Authority (GBRMPA) issued a news release noting that: "A collaborative
research program between the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
(GBRMPA), Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and the US
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has detected
unusually warm water conditions on the Great Barrier Reef, conditions
which could lead to coral bleaching."  Their WebSite information can be
seen at:

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/bleaching/index.html

and our latest HotSpots and Degree Heating Weeks for that area are found
at:

http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data/hotspotese.gif
http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data2/dhwp.1.8.2002.gif

The GBRMPA news release notes: "Coral bleaching expert, Professor Ove
Hoegh-Guldberg from the University of Queensland, has already observed
early signs of bleaching on the GBR." - Heron Island -

The only other areas presently threatened by bleaching at this time,
based on
our HotSpot and DHW charts are in the vicinity of Papua New Guinea and
Samoa (including American Samoa - where the NOAA Marine Sanctuary
Director notes some paling has been observed within the past week).

AE Strong
--
**** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< *******
Alan E. Strong
Acting Chief, Oceanic Research & Applications Division
Team Leader, Marine Applications Science Team (MAST)
Phys Scientist/Oceanographer
  NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3
  NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W
  5200 Auth Road
  Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304
        Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
             301-763-8102 x170
              FAX: 301-763-8572
  http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------

  Alan E. Strong, Ph. D. <Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov>
  Oceanographer/Team Leader
  NOAA/NESDIS/ORA
  Oceanic Research & Applications Division

  Alan E. Strong, Ph. D.
  Oceanographer/Team Leader                 <Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov>
  NOAA/NESDIS/ORA
  Oceanic Research & Applications Division
  NOAA Science Center 5200 Auth Road        Cellular: 443-822-3668
  Camp Springs                              Fax: 301-763-8108
  MD                                        Work: 301-763-8102 x170
  20746
  USA
  Additional Information:
  Last Name     Strong
  First Name    Alan E.
  Version       2.1