- 1South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, State Key Laboratory of Trpical Oceanography, China.
- 2Global Ocean and Climate Research Center, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
- 3Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China.
- 4University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Sea surface salinity (SSS) plays a crucial role in upper-ocean stratification and marine ecosystems. Since the mid-20th century, SSS patterns have intensified, with saline regions becoming saltier and fresher regions fresher, driven by rising global sea surface temperatures. Using datasets like EN4, GODAS, GLORYS, and in situ observations (e.g., BATS), we assessed global high SSS extremes from 1982 to 2023. Results show significant increases in intensity (0.2 PSU/decade), duration (4 months/decade), and frequency (4 counts/decade) across most oceans, except in regions like the tropical Atlantic. High salinity extremes often compound with marine heatwaves, especially in mid- to high-latitudes, highlighting their growing impact under global warming.
How to cite: Ma, J. and Wang, C.: Global increase in high salinity extremes and their compounding with marine heatwaves, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-8166, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-8166, 2025.
