emirates7 - A study published in Science Advances reveals that ocean temperatures near the Fijian Islands in the south-western Pacific are now the highest they have been in 600 years. Researchers from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in Germany, who contributed to the study, described the findings as "further evidence of the unprecedented warming of the western Pacific," according to a report by dpa.

The study utilized reef-building honeycomb coral (Diploastrea heliopora), known for its longevity and slow growth rate of 3 to 6 millimeters per year, to explore historical climate patterns. The skeletons of these corals preserve records of past climate changes, offering valuable insights into previous centuries.

Researchers analyzed a 2-meter-long core from one such coral, focusing on the strontium-to-calcium ratio to gauge historical temperatures. The age of each coral layer was determined using the Uranium-Thorium dating method, with support from the Institute of Geosciences at Mainz University. This method measures the decay of uranium isotopes into thorium, allowing scientists to accurately determine the age of the coral layers.

Their analysis of coral data spanning from 1370 to 1997, combined with 26 years of water temperature records, indicated that 2022 marked the warmest year in this Pacific region since 1370.