Marine

Coastal Temperature Data Published on World Oceans Day

June 8, 2019 by Marine Directorate Communications No Comments | Category Marine Directorate general, Marine Directorate Science, Oceanography, Scottish Coastal Observatory, Statistics

As part of the Scottish Coastal Observatory, Marine Scotland and a group of dedicated volunteers record coastal water temperatures around Scotland. Today, on World Oceans Day, the coastal water temperature data from 14 monitoring locations are being published.

The volunteer-based observing network works by the volunteers receiving a small self-recording temperature sensor every three months by post. The volunteers then replace the temperature logger already in place with the new sensor. The previous temperature sensor is then posted back, and once the sensor has made it back to the Marine Laboratory, the data are downloaded and checked for quality.

This temperature sensor network contributes to Marine Scotland’s work on monitoring sea temperature in Scottish waters. The data are analysed and included in a range of assessments of the ocean’s status, such as the Scottish Ocean Climate Status Report, Scotland’s Marine Atlas, and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
While most of the sites were started relatively recently, they do provide valuable information on regional variations of the century scale warming due to global climate change. It is vital that we continue to measure the temperatures in our coastal waters to further understand how global climate change will affect Scotland.

If you are interested in being a coastal monitoring volunteer please get in touch! 

Further Information:

• Access the data
• The Scottish Ocean Climate Status Report – 2016
• Scottish Coastal Observatory (SCObs) topic sheet
• World Oceans Day Website

Tags: coastal monitoring, Monitoring, oceanography, research, sampling, science, Scottish Coastal Observatory, Survey, water temperature, World Oceans Day

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