NASA JPL PR 2010-060 - 2010 Feb 23
Climatologists have long known that human-produced greenhouse gases have been the dominant drivers of Earth's observed warming since the start of the Industrial Revolution. But other factors also affect our planet's temperature. Of these, the ocean plays a dominant role. Its effects helped nudge global temperatures slightly higher in 2009, and, according to NASA scientists, could well contribute to making 2010 the warmest year on record.
This image depicting the current El Niño condition in the Pacific Ocean was created with data collected by the
US/European Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason2 satellite during a 10 day period centered on 2010 Jan 30.
(NASA/JPL Ocean Surface Topography Team)