Summer in New Zealand 2015 - Why are we having such an Awesome One?

 Summer in New Zealand 2015

Why are we having such an Awesome One?

•       Purpose of Ocean Currents

•       World wide Currents

•       Local Currents

•       How they Affect New Zealand

•       Our summer!!

Worldwide Ocean Currents and Their Purpose

• —  Our oceans are crucial to heating our  planet – help to distribute it
• Act like a conveyor belt distributing water from equators to poles and back – usually clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and anticlockwise in the south, as well as often following the coastlines
• Regulate global climate – helps to regulate uneven distribution of of solar radiation reaching earth’s surface. Otherwise temperatures would be much more extreme at the Poles and the Equator

— For example the  Gulf stream current  which originates from Florida, gives Great Britain, including Ireland, its warmth

Ocean Current Temperature

— Our climate changes are not only caused by conditions in the atmosphere. The top few metres of the ocean can store as much heat as the entire atmosphere, and relatively small changes in ocean circulation can move vast amounts of heat around the planet

— 
Results include changes in animal habitats, more extreme weather incidences and the bleaching of coral reefs thus reducing their growth and habitats for many ocean creatures

Currents Which Affect Us

•       New Zealand lies in the path of eastward-flowing currents, which are driven by winds that blow across the South Pacific Ocean

•       These winds – the south-east trades to the north, and the roaring forties to the south – drive water along the equator, down Australia’s east coast in the East Australian Current, and across the Tasman Sea

•       Bathed by relatively warm water from the subtropics, New Zealand has a temperate climate

What is affecting our Summer Today

• —  Sea surface temperatures across the equatorial Pacific Ocean are borderline
  
  between neutral and weak El Niño conditions
• Sea Surface Temperatures around New Zealand are forecast to be in the above normal range all around the country
• Temperatures are most likely (50% chance) to be in the above average range
• Rainfall totals are most likely (45% chance) to be in the near-normal range

          Niwa – Seasonal Climate Outlook February to April 2015

Conclusion

Changes in climate are not only caused by conditions in the atmosphere – ocean currents have a massive impact as they regulate the global climate

— Bathed by relatively warm water from the subtropics via the East Australian current, New Zealand has a temperate climate

— El Niño and La Niña are weather patterns that occur every 3–7 years in the tropical Pacific Ocean and which affect us

— We are borderline between neutral and weak El Niño conditions resulting in slightly higher temperatures

Carry on having an Awesome Summer!!

Young People - Want to go to the Sub Antarctic?

Want to go to the Sub Antarctic?

Look out for the Enderby Trust Scholarships – they may pay up to 70% of your expenses!

Formed in 1998, the Enderby Trust is named after Charles Enderby, a cooper (wooden barrel maker) who embarked on several exploratory voyages in Antarctica and the southern oceans during the 1830’s. The trust, which is named so to acknowledge Enderby’s geographical study and exploratory activities, works with Heritage Expeditions who provide travel for successful applicants on their polar research vessel Spirit or Enderby. It is envisaged that after their trip their experiences and enthusiasm will create further awareness and appreciation of the subantactic area.

It is very easy to apply for a scholarship. All applicants (aged 18 - 30) need to do is write up to 400 words about why they are fascinated about the subantarctic area in the Pacific Ocean they wish to visit.

The 2009 closing date is October 30, however people who are interested future scholarships should contact the Enderby Trust on enderby@hotmail.com or write to the Enderby Trust at P O Box 29 529, Fendalton, Christchurch, 8540

Exciting discovery made on the South Pacific Ocean's Macquarie Ridge

During their month long research trip to the Macquarie Ridge recently, scientists aboard the Research Vessel Tangaroa of New Zealand’s National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA), discovered an seemingly unlikely colony of starfish-like echinoderms called brittlestars living at the summit of a huge seamount. These critters take advantage of the dramatic 4km/hr ocean current of the dramatic 4km/hr ocean current at the summit, capturing prey as it is blown over the seamount. According to Dr. Mike Willams of NIWA, “This current is estimated to be 110 to 150 times larger than all the water flowing in all the rivers of the world.”

The Macquarie Ridge extends southwest of New Zealand and then curves southeast before ending at around 58 degrees south. Running along the Macquarie Fault Zone, a major right lateral-moving transform fault along the seafloor of the south Pacific Ocean, and also the tectonic plate boundary between the Indo-Australian Plate to the northwest and the Pacific Plate to the southeast the ridge is the result of the two abutting plates. Macquarie Island, along the ridge, was formed from the thrusting of the two plates. It does not have large-scale sediment, was not formed by a volcano and does not have suffered from glacial activities. The age of the rocks forming the island is extremely young geologically and there is much interest from scientists and geologists to study the island, the ridge, the trenches alongside it, and the life it supports.

Very few of the 100,000 seamounts which rise higher than 1km above the sea have been explored. It was originally thought that only corals and sponges covered the seamounts, so the discovery of the brittle stars was an exciting and significant find.

The Census of Marine Life seamount programme, CenSeam, hosted the trip. The voyage was largely funded by the New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.

Sources
www.survivalmachine.org

http://censeam.niwa.co.nz
This ten year old organizations, mission is “to determine the role of seamounts in the biogeography, biodiversity, productivity, and evolution of marine organisms, and to evaluate the effects of human exploitation on seamounts.” A detailed account of the Tangaroa is on the site, along with similar expeditions and their outcomes. Very interesting reading, about the trips,t he people, and life on board.