Ocean heat content data from 2003 to 2008 (4.5 years) were evaluated for trend. A trend plus periodic (annual cycle) model fit with R2 = 0.85. The linear component of the model showed a trend of −0.35 (±0.2) x 1022 Joules per year. The result is consistent with other data showing a lack of warming over the past few years.
DominguesC.M.ChurchJ.A.WhiteN.J.GlecklerP.J.WijffelsS.E.BarkerP.M. and DunnJ.R.2008, Improved Estimates of Upper-Ocean Warming and Multi-Decadal Sea-Level Rise, Nature, 453, 1090–1093, doi:10.1038/nature07080.
2.
GouretskiV. and KoltermannK.P.2007, How Much is the Ocean Really Warming?, Geophysical Research Letters, 34, L01610, doi:10.1029/2006GL027834.
3.
IshiiM. and KimotoM. in press, Reevaluation of Historical Ocean Heat Content Variations with an XBT Depth Bias Correction, Journal of Oceanography.
4.
LevitusS.AntonovJ.I.WangJ.DelworthT.L.DixonK.W. and BroccoliA.J.2001, Anthropogenic Warming of Earth's Climate System, Science, 292(5515), 267–270
5.
LymanJ.M.WillisJ.K. and JohnsonG.C.2006, Recent Cooling of the Upper Ocean. Geophysical Research Letters, 33(18), L18604, doi:10.1029/2006GL027033.
6.
PielkeR.A.Sr.2003, Heat Storage Within the Earth System, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 84(3), 331–335, doi:10.1175/BAMS-84-3-331.
7.
WijffelsS.E.WillisJ.DominguesC.M.BarkerP.WhiteN.J.GronellA.RidgwayK. and ChurchJ.A.2008, Changing Expendable Bathythermograph Fall Rates and Their Impact on Estimates of Thermosteric Sea Level Rise, Journal of Climate, 21, 5657–5672, doi:10.1175/2008JCLI2290.1.
8.
WillisJ.K.RoemmichD. and CornuelleB.2004, Interannual Variability in Upper Ocean Heat Content, Temperature, and Thermosteric Expansion on Global Scales. Journal of Geophysical Research, 109(12), C12036, doi:10.1029/2003JC002260c.
9.
WillisJ.K.LymanJ.M.JohnsonG.C. and GilsonJ.2007, Correction to “Recent Cooling of the Upper Ocean,”Geophysical Research Letters, 34(16), L16601, doi:10.1029/2007GL030323.
10.
WillisJ.K.LymanJ.M.JohnsonG.C. and GilsonJ.2008a, In Situ Data Biases and Recent Ocean Heat Content Variability, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, doi:10.1175/2008JTECHO608.1.
11.
WillisJ.K.ChambersD.P. and NeremR.S.2008b, Assessing the Globally Averaged Sea Level Budget on Seasonal to Interannual Timescales, Journal of Geophysical Research, 113, C06015, doi:10.1029/2007JC004517.
