Global warming is shaking up the ocean, literally

Nov 15, 2023

Ocean wave energy has increased by 0.27% per year since the late 1980s. Image: Pexels/Maria Orlova

Richard Aster

Professor of Geophysics and Department Head, Colorado State University

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Ocean wave intensification since the late 1980s: Each circle is a seismic station, with size proportional to the vertical acceleration of the Earth at that station smoothed over three years. Red circles indicate periods when ground motions are larger than the historical median; blue indicate periods when they are smaller. The synchronized graph shows the median vertical acceleration anomaly for all stations and reflects El Niño cycles and a more pronounced increase in recent years. Image: Rick Aster

In November 2022, Hurricane Nicole’s intense waves eroded the land beneath several homes in Daytona Beach, Fla. Image: AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

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