AMOC Deterioration
Scientists expect that if global heating persists, the AMOC would eventually degrade and will decrease by around 34% to 45% by the end of this century, which will put it close to a tipping point at which the environment could become irrevocably unstable. A depleted Gulf Stream will also, with potentially catastrophic effects, increase water levels on the US Atlantic coast.
Stefan Rahmstorf, who co-authored the report published in Nature Geoscience on Thursday from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Effect Studies, told the Guardian that a weakening AMOC would increase the number and intensity of storms reaching Britain and carry more heatwaves to Europe.
Gulf Stream System at its weakest in over a millennium
Never before in over 1000 years the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), also known as Gulf Stream System, has been as weak as in the last decades. This is the result of a new study by scientists from Ireland, Britain and Germany. The researchers compiled so-called proxy data – taken mainly from natural archives like ocean sediments or ice cores – reaching back many hundreds of years to reconstruct the flow history of the AMOC. They found consistent evidence that its slowdown in the 20th century is unprecedented in the past millennium – it is likely linked to human-caused climate change. The giant ocean circulation is relevant for weather patterns in Europe and regional sea-levels in the US; its slowdown is also associated with an observed ‘cold blob’ in the northern Atlantic.
Atlantic Ocean circulation at weakest in a millennium, say scientists msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Atlantic Ocean circulation is the weakest in at least 1,600 years, study finds – here s what that means for the climate By Jeff Berardelli Slowdown of current system could affect global climate
An influential current system in the Atlantic Ocean, which plays a vital role in redistributing heat throughout our planet s climate system, is now moving more slowly than it has in at least 1,600 years. That s the conclusion of a new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience from some of the world s leading experts in this field.
Scientists believe that part of this slowing is directly related to our warming climate, as melting ice alters the balance in northern waters. Its impact may be seen in storms, heat waves and sea-level rise. And it bolsters concerns that if humans are not able to limit warming, the system could eventually reach a tipping point, throwing global climate patterns into disarray.
Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is an ocean current
It redistributes warm water throughout our planet s oceans
This also moves warm water from Gulf of Mexico to the North Atlantic
However, a new study finds it is weakening, which would disrupt our climate
Sea levels along the east coast could rise if AMOC slows and comes to a halt
Analysis of its strength shows it has weakened dramatically since the 1950s