NOAA News Online (Story 1104)
Alan E Strong
Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
Tue Feb 25 13:59:00 EST 2003
NOAA News Story - Press Release -
Degree Heating Week Charts - OPERATIONAL!
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s1104.htm
AES
--
**** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< *******
Alan E. Strong
Team Leader, Marine Applications Science Team (MAST)
Coral Reef Watch Project Coordinator
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
---------------------------------------------------------------------
NOAA Magazine || NOAA Home Page Commerce Dept.
NOAA USING SATELLITE DATA TO MONITOR HEAT STRESSES ON CORAL REEFS
[NOAA satellite image of Degree Heating Weeks for the past 12 weeks taken Feb. 25, 2003.]February
25, 2003
NOAA scientists are using satellite data to monitor the long-term effects of heat stresses on
several coral reefs throughout the world. While the scientists have been monitoring the stresses
for some time, the NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service is now
providing an operational product called Degree Heating Week. (Click NOAA satellite image for
larger view of Degree Heating Weeks for the past 12 weeks taken Feb. 25, 2003. Click here for
DHW.)
Degree Heating Weeks have been available experimentally for some time, said Dr. Alan Strong,
coordinator of Coral Reef Watch at NOAA Satellite and Information Services. Turning operational
means that coral reef managers and stake holders will now have up-to-date, accurate, and reliable
information on the status of their reefs and may be able to take active measures to prevent
further damage if their site has a high DHW rating.
Using satellite-derived information, DHWs continuously monitor the cumulative thermal stress of
several coral reefs throughout the globe, including Australias Great Barrier Reef, Galapagos,
the Bahamas and others. The extent and acuteness of thermal stress, key predictors of coral
bleaching, contribute to coral reef degradation worldwide.
Coral reefs compose a large and integral part of the coastal ocean, supporting a variety of sea
life and providing resources of significant economic importance. Coral bleaching occurs as coral
tissue expels zooxanthellae, a symbiotic algae essential to coral survival that resides within
the structure of the coral. Bleaching is induced by high water temperatures.
A Degree Heating Week is designed to indicate the accumulated stress experienced by coral reefs.
For example, if the current temperature of a reef site exceeds the maximum expected summertime
temperature by one degree Celsius, then the site receives a rating of 1 DHW. If the current
temperature at the site is two degrees Celsius above the maximum expected summertime temperature
or one degree above for a period of two weeks, the site would receive a rating of 2 DHWs, and so
on.
With the operational product, NOAA Satellite and Information Services will provide continuous
technical support on a 24-hour, seven-day basis, and will maintain a Web site which will be
updated twice a week.
NOAA Satellite and Information Services is the nations primary source of space-based
meteorological and climate data. NOAA Satellite and Information Services operates the nation's
environmental satellites, which are used for weather and ocean observation and forecasting,
climate monitoring and other environmental applications. Applications include sea-surface
temperature, fire detection and ozone monitoring.
NOAA Satellite and Information Services also operates three data centers, which house global data
bases in climatology, oceanography, solid earth geophysics, marine geology and geophysics,
solar-terrestrial physics, and paleoclimatology.
NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and
research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the
nations coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U. S. Department of Commerce.
Relevant Web Sites
NOAAs Degree Heating Week
NOAA Satellite and Information Services
NOAA's Coral Reef
Media Contact:
Patricia Viets, NOAA Satellite and Information Services, (301) 457-5005
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: 410-490-6602
Camp Springs Fax: 301-763-8572
MD Work: 301-763-8102 x170
20746
USA
Additional Information:
Last Name Strong
First Name Alan E.
Version 2.1
More information about the Coral-list-old
mailing list