The OceanGliders program started in 2016 to support active coordination and enhancement of global glider activity. OceanGliders contributes to the international efforts of the Global Ocean Observation System (GOOS) for Climate, Ocean Health, and Operational Services. It brings together marine scientists and engineers operating gliders around the world: (1) to observe the long-term physical, biogeochemical, and biological ocean processes and phenomena that are relevant for societal applications; and, (2) to contribute to the GOOS through real-time and delayed mode data dissemination. The OceanGliders program is distributed across national and regional observing systems and significantly contributes to integrated, multi-scale and multi-platform sampling strategies. OceanGliders shares best practices, requirements, and scientific knowledge needed for glider operations, data collection and analysis. It also monitors global glider activity and supports the dissemination of glider data through regional and global databases, in realtime and delayed modes, facilitating data access to the wider community. OceanGliders currently supports national, regional and global initiatives to maintain and expand the capabilities and application of gliders to meet key global challenges such as improved measurement of ocean boundary currents, water transformation and storm forecast.
Abstract. The Utö Atmospheric and Marine Research Station introduced in this paper is located on Utö Island (59 • 46.84 N, 21 • 22.13 E) at the outer edge of the Archipelago Sea, by the Baltic Sea towards the Baltic Proper. Meteorological observations at the island started in 1881 and vertical profiling of seawater temperature and salinity in 1900. Since 1980, the number of observations at Utö has rapidly increased, with a large number of new meteorological, air quality, aerosol, optical and greenhouse gas parameters, and recently, a variety of marine observations. In this study, we analyze long-term changes of atmospheric temperature, cloudiness, sea salinity, temperature and ice cover. Our main dataset consists of 248 367 atmospheric temperature observations, 1632 quality-assured vertical seawater temperature and salinity profiles and 8565 ice maps, partly digitized for this project. We also use North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), major Baltic inflow (MBI) and Baltic Sea river runoff data from the literature as reference variables to our data. Our analysis is based on a statistical method utilizing a dynamic linear model. The results show an increase in the atmospheric temperature at Utö, but the increase is significantly smaller than on land areas and has taken place only since the early 1980s, with a rate of 0.4 • C decade −1 during the last 35 years. We also see an increase in seawater temperatures, especially on the surface, with an increase of 0.3 • C decade −1 for the last 100 years. In deeper water layers, the increase is smaller and influenced by vertical mixing, which is modulated by inflow of saline water from the North Sea and freshwater inflow from rivers and by wind-driven processes influenced by the local bathymetry. The date when air temperature in the spring exceeds +5 • C became 5 days earlier from the period 1951-1980 to the period 1981-2010 and the date when sea surface water temperature exceeds +4 • C changed to 9 days earlier. Sea ice cover duration at Utö shows a decrease of approximately 50 % during the last 35 years. Based on the combined results, it is possible that the climate at Utö has changed into a new phase, in which the sea ice no longer reduces the local temperature increase caused by the global warming.
This report consists of climate statistics for air pressure, temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, snow depth, wind, sunshine and global radiation for the normal period covering the years 1991–2020. In addition for the first time oceanographic statistics for sea water level, sea water temperature and sea ice are included. Based on the station and gridded data the new 1991–2020 normal period is approximately 0.6 °C warmer in Finland compared to the previous 1981–2010 period. The new normal period is approximately 1.3 °C warmer when compared to the 1961–1990 period. Climate and oceanographic statistics can be used for example when anomalies for current conditions need to be calculated and put in a historical context. In addition they help in decision-making when it is needed to approximate conditions months into the future. And lastly normal periods provide a way to monitor the progression of climate change. The calculation of the normal period statistics have been carried out following the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) guidelines. Like with previous normal periods, some stricter guidelines were followed nationally, for example in the way missing observations were handled. The period 1991–2020 is both nationally and internationally the official normal period before the next one covering 2001–2030 is taken into use.
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