Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. (2023, January 6). Fathoming the hidden
heatwaves that threaten coral reefs. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 29, 2023 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/01/230106082538.htm

A group of international researchers in collaboration with scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the UCSD, UCSB, and Cal State recently discovered that a coral bleaching event in Moorea was a result of a passage of anti-cyclonic eddies, or ocean storms, that raised sea levels significantly and caused an underwater heatwave. This bleached and killed coral as the unexpected warm temperatures caused severe stress on them. Through this discovery, researches realized the unreliability of studying surface measurements of water temperatures, and the importance of collecting temperature data across the range of depths that coral reefs occupy.

This discovery is critical for environmental scientists who study marine life and corals because it affects the way we collect data. By focusing more on long term effects and studying wider ranges of depth throughout the ocean, we can better observe patterns and coral reef reactions to changing water temperatures. With better understanding of coral reefs and their reactions to abnormal weather patterns such as anti-cyclonic eddies, we can prepare them for predicted weather conditions and train them to withstand changing environmental factors. This way they stand a stronger chance at survival as global warming becomes increasingly effective.