Spatiotemporal Variability of Bering Sea Surface Temperature from Satellite-Based ERA5 Reanalysis Data

Abstract—Features of spatiotemporal variability of the Bering Sea surface temperature have been studied by constructing average long-term distributions for different months and using the empirical orthogonal functions method based on ERA5 reanalysis data, mainly based on satellite information, for 1998–2020 (spatial resolution of data is a quarter of a degree, the time interval is one month). Also, in each spatial cell for each month, the amplitudes and phases of the annual and semiannual harmonics have been calculated, reflecting seasonal changes in thermal conditions in the studied area. Linear trend coefficients are determined, which show a stable tendency towards warming of the sea surface layer, most pronounced in summer. Extreme deviations from the average long-term values (anomalies) of the Bering Sea surface temperature are considered.