Extended Data Table 1 Parameters used to calculate and apply Degree Heating Months in past studies

From: Coral bleaching and mortality overestimated in projections based on Degree Heating Months

  1. Studies that have used Degree Heating Months typically use bleaching thresholds derived from Degree Heating Weeks. These studies either divide Degree Heating Week bleaching thresholds by 4 and then apply those thresholds to raw Degree Heating Months values10,12,14,36,37,38,41,42,43,44, or multiply Degree Heating Month values by ~4 and then apply the Degree Heating Week bleaching thresholds to those values15,16,24,45. These two approaches are effectively equivalent. Abbreviations: SST, sea-surface temperature; σ, standard deviation; σM, standard deviation of SST in the climatologically warmest month over the climatological reference period used.
Back to article page