Extended Data Fig. 4: Simulated changes in global oceanic stratification under global warming.
From: Onshore intensification of subtropical western boundary currents in a warming climate
a-e, Changes in vertical temperature profile under global warming averaged in each subtropical basin (a, the subtropical North Pacific Ocean, SNP; b, the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean, SNA; c, the subtropical South Indian Ocean, SSI; d, the subtropical South Pacific Ocean, SSP; e, the subtropical South Atlantic Ocean, SSA). f-j, As in a-e, respectively, but for changes of salinity under global warming averaged in each subtropical basin. k-o, As in a-e, respectively, but for changes of stratification under global warming averaged in each subtropical basin. The results are based on the ensemble mean of 7 climate models, where the changes are derived from the difference between the historical mean and the RCP8.5/SSP585 mean. The color shadings represent the 95% confidence intervals estimated by a bootstrap method. The red and blue lines in k-o are the relative contributions of temperature (red) and salinity (blue) changes to stratification changes, respectively, while the black line denotes the total changes of stratification (see ‘The wind and stratification in each subtropical ocean’ in Methods). In all subtropical gyres, the oceanic stratification is expected to increase.
