[Coral-List] BERMUDA Bleaching Event?

Gang Liu Gang.Liu at noaa.gov
Tue Aug 26 15:41:40 EDT 2003


A pool of warm water has been developing in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean
since early July.
http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/climohot.html

Bermuda, which is located in the region, has been experiencing elevated
sea surface temperature since Mid-July.
http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad/sub/sst_series_bermuda_cur.html

As of 22 Aug 2003, our satellite DHW (Degree Heating Weeks) at Bermuda
has reached 4 C-weeks, showing the accumulation of HotSpot thermal
stress since mid-July. Coral bleaching is most likely already present at
Bermuda according to our satellite monitoring.
http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data2/dhwa.8.23.2003.gif

We would appreciate any feedback; both bleaching or non-bleaching
observations, are welcome.

We, NOAA's Coral Reef Watch Project, are developing an automatated coral
bleaching email warning system. The warning is derived based on our
satellite monitoring using satellite HotSpot and Degree Heating Weeks
algorithms. The email will be sent out to region-relevant recipients for
notification at selected reef sites. The list of region-relevant
recipients and list of selected reef sites are under development. A test
message of bleaching alert for Bermuda is shown below. Please make
comments/suggestions on this proposed automatated email alert, both the
content and any preferred mode of broadcast for sending out these
warnings.

================================================================
**          BLEACHING ALERT LEVEL 1  for  Bermuda
================================================================

 Current thermal stress level at this site:
                        (HotSpot => 1) and (4 < DHW <= 8)

 Reef site name:           Bermuda
  -- Pixel latitude:         32.0000
  -- Pixel longitude:       -64.0000

 Current satellite observations:   8/19/2003 - 8/23/2003
  -- Sea surface temperature          :      28.3000  Deg C
  -- Coral bleaching HotSpot          :      1.10000  Deg C
  -- Bleaching Degree Heating Weeks   :      4.10000  Deg C-week
  -- Maximum Monthly Mean SST at site :      27.1000  Deg C

 For more information please visit Coral Reef Watch's Website:
 http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad/coral_bleaching_index.html
 http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/dhw_news.html

 ================================================================

 Please send the feebback to Alan Strong (Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov) and/or
Gang Liu (Gang.Liu at noaa.gov)


 Alan E Strong
 Coral Reef Watch Project
 http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad/coral_bleaching_index.html




--
=========================================
 Gang Liu, Ph.D.
 Senior Research Scientist/Oceanographer
 (Decision Systems Technologies, Inc.)
 NOAA Coral Reef Watch Program
 NOAA/NESDIS/ORA E/RA31
 SSMC1, #5307
 1335 East-West Highway
 Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226

 Tel: 301-713-9386 ext 131
 Fax: 301-713-3136
 Email: Gang.Liu at noaa.gov
=========================================





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