Ocean measurements from 1920s align with warming?

Robert

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According to this report, at least:
Working with this historical data set, Gouretski et al. identified long-term temperature and salinity trends for the entire water column of the Atlantic. They find that during the twentieth century, the upper 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) of water warmed by 0.272 degrees Celsius (0.49 degrees Fahrenheit) and became saltier by 0.030 per mil. Half of the heat content increase took place in the upper 400 meters (1,300 feet) of water, and three quarters took place in the upper 700 meters (2,300 feet).

The water below 6,500 feet, however, became slightly cooler and fresher. The authors calculated that a reduction in density of the ocean waters due to changes in temperature and salinity would have resulted in 3.7 centimeters (1.46 inches) of sea level rise over the 80 years following the Meteor's expedition.

The authors note that the calculated warming trend aligns with numerical models of anthropogenic warming.
http://www.science20.com/news_articles/german_records_1920s_evidence_longterm_ocean_warming-115939?
 
In related news:
The Earth experienced unprecedented recorded climate extremes during the decade 2001-2010, according to the World Meteorological Organisation.

Its report, The Global Climate 2001-2010, A Decade of Climate Extremes, analysed global and regional trends, as well as extreme events such as Hurricane Katrina, floods in Pakistan and droughts in the Amazon, Australia and East Africa.

The decade was the warmest for both hemispheres and for both land and ocean surface temperatures. The record warmth was accompanied by a rapid decline in Arctic sea ice, and accelerating loss of mass from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and from glaciers.

Global mean sea levels rose about 3mm per year - about double the observed 20th century trend of 1.6mm per year. Global sea level averaged over the decade was about 20cm higher than in 1880.

The report notes that the high temperatures in the decade were achieved without a strong episode of the El Nino current which typically warms the world. It says that a strong El Nino episode would probably have driven temperatures even higher.


Although overall temperature rise has slowed down since the 1990s, the WMO says temperatures are still rising because of greenhouse gases from human society.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23154073
 
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