Gulf Stream Weakening signals potential Return to Ice Age Conditions, Scientists Warn
New research reveals a distinctive temperature fingerprint in the Atlantic Ocean indicating a notable slowdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a critical system of currents including the Gulf Stream, perhaps leading to drastic climate shifts and a return to conditions resembling a pre-Ice Age era.
Scientists have identified a warming trend deep beneath the ocean surface – between 975 and 2,000 meters – that suggests the AMOC has been weakening for decades and could face a complete collapse before the end of the century.The findings, published recently, point to melting from the Greenland ice sheet as a primary driver of this instability. As temperatures rise, meltwater runoff enters the North Atlantic, causing stagnation and creating the observed temperature anomaly.
The AMOC functions like a global conveyor belt, transporting warm water from the tropics towards the Northern Hemisphere. This system is vital for maintaining temperate climates in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the US East Coast, including the well-known Gulf Stream which carries warm water from the Gulf of Mexico.
Researchers utilized the Massachusetts Institute of Technology General Circulation Model (MITgcm) – a elegant computer model simulating ocean,atmosphere,and climate – to track how signals related to the AMOC,such as energy waves,propagate towards the equator. They discovered that the slowdown drives subsurface heating in the subpolar North Atlantic, generating a wave of energy that travels towards the equator, creating localized “ocean hot spots.” Analysis of observational data dating back to 1960 revealed an accelerating warming trend in these mid-depth regions, especially since the late 2000s, indicating the AMOC decline began in the late 20th century.
“Here we identify a distinctive temperature fingerprint in the equatorial Atlantic that signals changes in the AMOC,” the researchers stated, as reported by The New York post. “The robust physical mechanism and reliable detection make this fingerprint a valuable metric for AMOC monitoring in a warming climate.”
The potential consequences of a drastic AMOC slowdown are severe. Scientists warn of a potential drop in temperatures across Europe by as much as 60 degrees Fahrenheit. “Winters will be more typical in Arctic Canada and rainfall will also be reduced,” explained Jonathan Bamber, professor of Earth observation at the University of Bristol.
Notably, the last time the AMOC collapsed was prior to the end of the last Ice Age, approximately 12,000 years ago, highlighting the profound impact such a disruption could have on global climate patterns.
(rns/rns)