Linear trends of temperature at intermediate and deep layers of the North Atlantic and the North Pacific oceans: 1957-1981

Abstract

Using all available hydrographic station data on ocean temperature observations from World Data Center-B (Obninsk, Russia), investigation of temperature changes in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans within the depth range of 300 to 3000 m has been carried out for the period 1957-1981. Results of statistical data analysis show that in the upper layer to about 500-m depths of both oceans, on average, seawater temperature declined. Deeper than 500-600 m in the North Pacific Ocean, no significant temperature changes have been revealed for this 25-year time interval. On average, for the North Atlantic Ocean, a statistically significant temperature rise (about 0.1°C to 25 yr-1) is observed in the 800- to 2500-m layer. -Author