The global ocean circulation continues to slow down: here's what it means



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Global ocean circulation seems to slow downNASA

Scientists are acutely aware that the global flow of oceans continues to slow and that warning signs are beginning to indicate what the world will be like in the decades to come.

Researchers from the Swire Marine Science Institute and the University of Hong Kong have studied sediments and fossils off Canada's coastline to reconstruct ocean circulation in the past and in its current state. The team, which published its findings in Letters of geophysical research, has found a dramatic weakening of ocean circulation over the last century.

The weakening of the ocean circulation, especially of the southern overturning circulation of the Atlantic (AMOC), worries North America and Europe in the future. To understand what we can expect in the future, researchers look to the past to find analogues.

Diagram of traffic in the western North Atlantic during episodes of high (left) and low (right)Letters of geophysical research

A look at the past to understand the future

In the past, scientists have noted dramatic events called Events Heinrich. A Heinrich event is the sudden, large-scale dissolution and melting of glaciers over the North Atlantic. These events are thought to be associated with many events of glaciation that occurred in the last 7 glacial periods on Earth 640,000 years ago.

Scientists think we could end up in a similar scenario today, where the melting and melting of icebergs and glaciers in the North Atlantic and Greenland could result in a significant influx of people. fresh water in the North Atlantic. This sudden influx of fresh water causes a capping of the AMOC global ocean circulation.

The main driver of the steady flow of AMOC is the sinking of cold and salt water in the North Atlantic. When salt water moves up from the tropics to the north, it cools and becomes relatively denser than the surrounding water. This cold, salty water seeps into the bottom of the North Atlantic and begins to flow south again to the bottom of the ocean. This causes a greater amount of salt water from the tropics to the north and the cycle continues. Scientists fear a slowdown in thermohaline circulation due to the freshwater plug of melting icebergs in the North Atlantic.

How will a slowdown in ocean circulation affect me?

The slowdown in AMOC can have dramatic consequences for weather and climate, particularly in North America and Europe. AMOC works to transfer large amounts of oceanic heat from the tropics to northern latitudes. Without this hot water conveyor north, northern North America and Europe will experience colder conditions.

AMOC regulates the global climate and strives to distribute heat more evenly throughout the world. Without this mechanism in place, precipitation and seasonal temperatures will be modified to align with the new ocean / atmosphere scenario.

Little Ice AgeWikipedia

The researchers point to the most recent scenario that seems similar to what we are experiencing today, the Little Ice Age. This period, which lasted from 1300 to 1850 of our era, was marked by intense cold, famine, drought and a generalized decline of the population. ice of the North Atlantic and slowdown of ocean circulation.

Although modern technology can help cope with long-term climate fluctuations, the impacts on the economy and health will be unavoidable. As our global climate continues to evolve, we can both look into history as a model for the future and climate models for the future.

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Global ocean circulation seems to slow downNASA

Scientists are acutely aware that the global flow of oceans continues to slow and that warning signs are beginning to indicate what the world will be like in the decades to come.

Researchers from the Swire Marine Science Institute and the University of Hong Kong have studied sediments and fossils off Canada's coastline to reconstruct ocean circulation in the past and in its current state. The team, which published its findings in Letters of geophysical research, has found a dramatic weakening of ocean circulation over the last century.

The weakening of the ocean circulation, especially the southern overturning circulation of the Atlantic (AMOC), worries North America and Europe in the future. To understand what we can expect in the future, researchers look to the past to find analogues.

Diagram of traffic in the western North Atlantic during episodes of high (left) and low (right)Letters of geophysical research

A look at the past to understand the future

In the past, scientists have noted dramatic events called Heinrich events. A Heinrich event is the sudden, large-scale dissolution and melting of glaciers over the North Atlantic. These events are thought to be associated with many events of glaciation that occurred in the last 7 glacial periods on Earth 640,000 years ago.

Scientists think we could end up in a similar scenario today, where the melting and melting of icebergs and glaciers in the North Atlantic and Greenland could result in a significant influx of people. fresh water in the North Atlantic. This sudden influx of fresh water causes a capping of the AMOC global ocean circulation.

The main driver of the steady flow of AMOC is the sinking of cold and salt water in the North Atlantic. When salt water moves up from the tropics to the north, it cools and becomes relatively denser than the surrounding water. This cold, salty water seeps into the bottom of the North Atlantic and begins to flow south again to the bottom of the ocean. This causes a greater amount of salt water from the tropics to the north and the cycle continues. Scientists fear a slowdown in thermohaline circulation due to the freshwater plug of melting icebergs in the North Atlantic.

How will a slowdown in ocean circulation affect me?

The slowdown in AMOC can have dramatic consequences for weather and climate, particularly in North America and Europe. AMOC works to transfer large amounts of oceanic heat from the tropics to northern latitudes. Without this hot water conveyor north, northern North America and Europe will experience colder conditions.

AMOC regulates the global climate and strives to distribute heat more evenly throughout the world. Without this mechanism in place, precipitation and seasonal temperatures will be modified to align with the new ocean / atmosphere scenario.

The researchers point to the most recent scenario that seems similar to what we are experiencing today, the Little Ice Age. This period from about AD 1300 to 1850 marked an intense cold in Europe, famine, drought and a generalized decline of the population. Scientists are unsure of the exact mechanism behind this cold period, but one of the main assumptions is the melting of the high latitude ice of the North Atlantic and the slowing of traffic oceanic that follows.

Although modern technology can help cope with long-term climate fluctuations, the impacts on the economy and health will be unavoidable. As our global climate continues to evolve, we can both look into history as a model for the future and climate models for the future.

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