Influence of Atlantic and Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures on Heat‐Related Mortality in the United States
Abstract The frequency and magnitude of extreme summer temperature events in the United States have increased in the past few decades. Long‐term exposure to extreme summer temperatures can be detrimental to human health, due to potential risks of dehydration and thermoregulation strains on the cardi...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2020-02-01
|
Series: | GeoHealth |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GH000220 |
id |
doaj-e2ee63ca6cda495d8c541bbaed390939 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-e2ee63ca6cda495d8c541bbaed3909392020-11-25T02:40:03ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)GeoHealth2471-14032020-02-0142n/an/a10.1029/2019GH000220Influence of Atlantic and Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures on Heat‐Related Mortality in the United StatesHaris Majeed0John G. Coles1G. W. K. Moore2Institute of Medical Sciences University of Toronto Toronto Ontario CanadaDivision of Cardiovascular Surgery The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, Ontario CanadaDepartment of Physics University of Toronto Toronto Ontario CanadaAbstract The frequency and magnitude of extreme summer temperature events in the United States have increased in the past few decades. Long‐term exposure to extreme summer temperatures can be detrimental to human health, due to potential risks of dehydration and thermoregulation strains on the cardiovascular system, which may often lead to heat‐related mortality (HRM). The summer climate of the United States is influenced by variability in Atlantic and Pacific sea surface temperatures, driven in part by Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and El‐Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), respectively. However, the influence of AMO and ENSO on HRM in the United States has not been investigated. Here the longest time series of HRM spanning the past five decades is analyzed in relation with AMO and ENSO. We find that HRM doubled in the early‐1990s, coinciding with the positive phase of the AMO. Furthermore, we note a positive association between the variability in HRM and summer temperatures across all regions of the United States, with the strongest association found over the Southern United States. Therefore, this research suggests that variability in Atlantic and Pacific sea surface temperatures has both a nationwide and regional impact on HRM in the United States. Hence, by understanding variability in sea surface temperatures, the future burden of heat‐attributed emergencies during extreme summer temperature events can be reduced not only for the United States, but also worldwide.https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GH000220Heat Related MortalityAtlantic Multidecadal OscillationEl Nino Southern OscillationUnited States |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Haris Majeed John G. Coles G. W. K. Moore |
spellingShingle |
Haris Majeed John G. Coles G. W. K. Moore Influence of Atlantic and Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures on Heat‐Related Mortality in the United States GeoHealth Heat Related Mortality Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation El Nino Southern Oscillation United States |
author_facet |
Haris Majeed John G. Coles G. W. K. Moore |
author_sort |
Haris Majeed |
title |
Influence of Atlantic and Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures on Heat‐Related Mortality in the United States |
title_short |
Influence of Atlantic and Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures on Heat‐Related Mortality in the United States |
title_full |
Influence of Atlantic and Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures on Heat‐Related Mortality in the United States |
title_fullStr |
Influence of Atlantic and Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures on Heat‐Related Mortality in the United States |
title_full_unstemmed |
Influence of Atlantic and Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures on Heat‐Related Mortality in the United States |
title_sort |
influence of atlantic and pacific sea surface temperatures on heat‐related mortality in the united states |
publisher |
American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
series |
GeoHealth |
issn |
2471-1403 |
publishDate |
2020-02-01 |
description |
Abstract The frequency and magnitude of extreme summer temperature events in the United States have increased in the past few decades. Long‐term exposure to extreme summer temperatures can be detrimental to human health, due to potential risks of dehydration and thermoregulation strains on the cardiovascular system, which may often lead to heat‐related mortality (HRM). The summer climate of the United States is influenced by variability in Atlantic and Pacific sea surface temperatures, driven in part by Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and El‐Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), respectively. However, the influence of AMO and ENSO on HRM in the United States has not been investigated. Here the longest time series of HRM spanning the past five decades is analyzed in relation with AMO and ENSO. We find that HRM doubled in the early‐1990s, coinciding with the positive phase of the AMO. Furthermore, we note a positive association between the variability in HRM and summer temperatures across all regions of the United States, with the strongest association found over the Southern United States. Therefore, this research suggests that variability in Atlantic and Pacific sea surface temperatures has both a nationwide and regional impact on HRM in the United States. Hence, by understanding variability in sea surface temperatures, the future burden of heat‐attributed emergencies during extreme summer temperature events can be reduced not only for the United States, but also worldwide. |
topic |
Heat Related Mortality Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation El Nino Southern Oscillation United States |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GH000220 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT harismajeed influenceofatlanticandpacificseasurfacetemperaturesonheatrelatedmortalityintheunitedstates AT johngcoles influenceofatlanticandpacificseasurfacetemperaturesonheatrelatedmortalityintheunitedstates AT gwkmoore influenceofatlanticandpacificseasurfacetemperaturesonheatrelatedmortalityintheunitedstates |
_version_ |
1724783391926124544 |