Great Barrier Reef: Why the Water is Calm – Explained
- CANBERRA, Australia - Unusually calm seas are accelerating damage to Australia's Great Barrier Reef, according to research from monash University.
- during these periods, the ocean experiences exceptionally still conditions with little to no wind.
- "When the wind stops blowing, ocean temperatures heat up quickly, and the coral suffers," said Lara Richards, a PhD candidate at the Australian Research Council Center of Excellence...
CANBERRA, Australia – Unusually calm seas are accelerating damage to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, according to research from monash University. The phenomenon, known as “doldrum days,” is linked to widespread coral bleaching.
during these periods, the ocean experiences exceptionally still conditions with little to no wind. Recent studies show a strong correlation between these calm periods and increased mass coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef.
“When the wind stops blowing, ocean temperatures heat up quickly, and the coral suffers,” said Lara Richards, a PhD candidate at the Australian Research Council Center of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century and lead researcher on the Monash University study.
Calm Seas Worsen Great barrier Reef damage
The research analyzed nearly three decades of weather data during coral bleaching seasons.
Researchers found a strong link between prolonged pauses in trade winds and spikes in ocean temperatures.Trade winds typically play a crucial role in maintaining stable water temperatures.
The study was published by the European Geosciences Union.