August 06, 2021
12:54
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The system of currents in the Atlantic Ocean – the engine of climate in the Northern Hemisphere, may weaken to such an extent that it will soon lead to major climate change worldwide, Reuters and DPA reported, citing a publication in the journal Nature Climate Change. , reports BTA.
The Atlantic Meridian Reverse Circulation (AMOC) is a large system of ocean currents that carries warm water from the tropics north to the North Atlantic.
As the atmosphere warms due to increased greenhouse gas emissions, the ocean surface beneath it retains more heat.
A potential system failure could have severe consequences for global meteorological systems.
Climate models show that the AMOC system is the weakest in 1000 years. However, it is not known whether the weight loss is due to a change in circulation or is associated with a loss of stability.
According to the present study, the difference is crucial.
“The loss of dynamic stability would mean that the AMOC system has reached its critical threshold, above which a significant and virtually irreversible transition to a weak regime can occur,” said Niklas Burss of the Climate Impact Research Institute in Potsdam, Germany, and author of the study.
Analyzing the patterns of temperature and salinity of the Atlantic water surface, the study shows that weight loss in the last century is likely to be associated with a loss of stability.
“The findings support the assessment that the weakening of AMOC is not simply a fluctuation or a linear response to rising temperatures, but probably means approaching a critical threshold above which the circulatory system can collapse,” says Burse.
If the AMOC collapses, it will lead to cooling of the Northern Hemisphere, rising sea levels in the Atlantic Ocean, a general decrease in rainfall over Europe and North America, a change in the monsoons in South America and Africa.
Other climate models show that the AMOC system will weaken in the next century, but a collapse before 2100 is unlikely.
