Agulhas Leakage

Agulhas Leakage reveals intensifying compound ocean extremes

The Agulhas Leakage is revealing intensifying compound ocean extremes, and the findings demand our attention. Marine heatwaves and ocean acidity extremes are co-occurring more frequently after the 2000s, with cumulative MHW intensity rising from approximately 29.95 to 109.51 °C-year in the original data. Detrending confirms that long-term warming and acidification trends drive most of this increase, while anticyclonic eddies trap warm, high-[H+] waters in the dynamically active Agulhas Retroflexion. This is empirical, measurable evidence that baseline choice critically shapes compound-extreme risk assessment.