Dillon Amaya - Why Do Marine Heatwaves Happen?

News audiences are familiar with dangerous heatwaves that create uncomfortable living conditions and threaten the health and safety of people around the globe. But what do we know about a recent phenomenon that’s wreaking havoc on ocean ecosystems: marine heatwaves?

Marine heatwaves are happening more frequently, devastating ecosystems and threatening livelihoods. Metcalf Institute explored the rapidly evolving science of marine heatwaves at a series of free seminars for journalists, students, and post-doctoral scholars on November 5 and 12, 2021, held via Zoom.

In this video, Dr. Dillon Amaya of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), describes the physical processes that drive marine heatwaves.

This program was supported by National Science Foundation grants #OPP-1543245 and #OCE-1638834. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.