The Gulf Stream is migrating closer to Canada, and scientists are concerned
Isabella O Malley
Thursday, May 6th 2021, 12:02 pm - Ocean waters that are several degrees warmer than normal can have devastating impacts on ecosystems and fisheries.
North-central and eastern Canada experienced some of the most extreme temperature anomalies on Earth, along with parts of Russia and southeastern Europe, in the past. Temperatures that were 3–6°C above average in Atlantic Canada occurred and scientists observed the lowest Arctic sea ice extent on record in December 2010.
Fisheries significantly suffered from the harsh temperature anomalies and researchers have spent years investigating the causes of this unusual warmth. A study published in
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IMAGE: An animated map and time series (same color convention) of the 2008 temperature anomaly on the Northwest Atlantic Shelf, highlighting the rapid warming in the most recent decade. view more
Credit: (Animation by Afonso Gonçalves Neto)
KINGSTON, R.I., April 20, 2021 The Northwest Atlantic Shelf is one of the fastest-changing regions in the global ocean, and is currently experiencing marine heat waves, altered fisheries and a surge in sea level rise along the North American east coast. A new paper, Changes in the Gulf Stream preceded rapid warming of the Northwest Atlantic Shelf, published in
Communications Earth & Environment by recent URI Graduate School of Oceanography graduate Afonso Gonçalves Neto reveals the causes, potential predictability and historical context for these types of rapid changes.