Strengthened ocean-desert process in the North Pacific over the past two decades

North Pacific ocean desert (NPOD) refers to the subtropical North Pacific Ocean of low chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations, as the largest ocean desert globally. Studies have suggested a development of NPOD over recent decades based on limited evidences from in-field measurements and yet elusive mechanism. In this study, we characterize intensity, area and position of the NPOD from year 1998 to 2018, and investigate its control by the coherent climate processes, based on an available, longest satellite observations of Chl-a concentration. Our results suggested that NPOD oligotrophication and expansion processes were correlated with warming upper oceans in most part of the NPOD, except for the SW NPOD area where the Chl-a variations were linked with regional change in sea surface heights. Moreover, based on our analysis, insignificant shift but only NW-SE variability of the NPOD mean position was likely controlled by the Pacific decadal oscillation processes.

Automated summary

The study found that the North Pacific ocean desert has experienced oligotrophication and expansion over the past 20 years, which is related to warming upper oceans in most regions, but the Chl-a variations in the southwest area are linked to regional changes in sea surface heights. Additionally, the insignificant shift in the mean position of NPOD is likely controlled by the Pacific decadal oscillation processes.