A new study by researchers from Norway, Sweden, Germany, and the U.K. warns that climate-driven changes in a significant Arctic ocean current could trigger a chain reaction with serious global consequences.
At the heart of the concern is the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a powerful system of ocean currents that regulates climate patterns, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere. Scientists have detected troubling changes in the Beaufort Gyre, a large Arctic current that is storing an increasing amount of freshwater due to melting sea ice and global warming.
This trapped freshwater could eventually be released into the North Atlantic, disrupting the delicate balance of salinity that drives the AMOC.
“The findings raise serious concerns,” said Céline Heuzé, Senior Lecturer in Climatology at the University of Gothenburg. “The continued reduction of sea ice could push the system to a tipping point, potentially leading to the collapse of the AMOC.”
Such a collapse could cause abrupt and widespread shifts in weather, sea levels, and marine ecosystems, affecting millions across the globe. Read More
News Credit: TCD (The Cool Down)
Picture Credit: istock