Scientists detect sign that a crucial ocean current is near collapse

WaPo ^ | 25/7/23 | Sarah Kaplan

[Eleutheria5]

The Atlantic Ocean’s sensitive circulation system has become slower and less resilient, according to a new analysis of 150 years of temperature data — raising the possibility that this crucial element of the climate system could collapse within the next few decades.

Scientists have long seen the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, as one of the planet’s most vulnerable “tipping elements” — meaning the system could undergo an abrupt and irreversible change, with dramatic consequences for the rest of the globe. Under Earth’s current climate, this aquatic conveyor belt transports warm, salty water from the tropics to the North Atlantic, and then sends colder water back south along the ocean floor. But as rising global temperatures melt Arctic ice, the resulting influx of cold freshwater has thrown a wrench in the system — and could shut it down entirely.

The study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications suggests that continued warming will push the AMOC over its “tipping point” around the middle of this century. The shift would be as abrupt and irreversible as turning off a light switch, and it could lead to dramatic changes in weather on either side of the Atlantic.

“This is a really worrying result,” said Peter Ditlevsen, a climate physicist at the University of Copenhagen and lead author of the new study. “This is really showing we need a hard foot on the brake” of greenhouse gas emissions.

.....

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Reminds me of a SI-FI mystery I read maybe sixty years ago! A villain is planning to raise the sea levels by blowing up undersea cliffs in the North Atlantic that turns the Gulf Stream away from the Arctic, therefore warming the arctic and flooding the world. Kind of like an early Glo-Bull Warming but faster.

[ridesthemiles]

IF the word “COULD” were BANNED from the language——

MSM would not have anything to bombshell us with.

[HamiltonJay]

This conveyor has stopped in the past and it results it colder temps and glacierization and freezing of. Northern latitudes.

[Samurai_Jack]

OH NO!! Cue dennis quaid it’s the day after tomorrow!

run for your very lives and watch out for the wolves.

[dkGba]

I think washing parents mouth out with soap first!!

[Elsie]

But as rising global temperatures melt Arctic ice, the resulting influx of cold freshwater has thrown a wrench in the system — and could shut it down entirely.

Ain't Evolution WONDERFUL!!

[Elsie]

The ones in the ocean are creating this drag, you see.

[Elsie]

What about Would, Should, and Might?

[Elsie]

A Skeptic!!

Probably a Denier; too!!!

[Elsie]

MSM would not have anything to bombshell us with.

But we'll always have the typo police...

MSM would not have anything with which to bombshell us.

It's a possibility...

[Vaduz]

It’s not saying much

[Former Proud Canadian]

"could collapse within the next few decades"

And, maybe, could NOT collapse.

[BradyLS]

Cool graphs! But what does “rejected energy” mean? Energy lost due to inefficiencies?

[BradyLS]

Scientists detect sign that a crucial ocean current is near collapse

Drama much? 🙄

[BradyLS]

Thread resurrection! 😀