Britain’s winter temperature is being kept from freezing by the Gulf Stream. This prevents Britain and other countries from becoming frozen over. Its fastest pace in a thousand years. Could this mean that the British Isles, and other countries in northern Europe will experience lower winter temperatures? Climate change has been bringing up higher temperatures worldwide. It is likely that the Atlantic Overturning, as scientists refer to it, will slow down and reduce global warming’s effects in parts of north West Europe and the United States. Atlantic Overturning Circulation, also known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation or Atlantic Overturning is a significant current in Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf Stream is a northward flow that brings warm and salty water up to the Ocean’s upper layers. There is also a southward flow that takes in colder waters from the Deep Atlantic. It plays a significant role in the Earth’s climate. A large area of blue can be seen just below Greenland. This is the cooling zone. Over the last century, Atlantic Overturning has been slowed by 15% to 20%. This slowdown is more evident since 1970,, a Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research study revealed. These findings were published in Nature Climate Change, an academic journal. Citation below. According to authors, the gradual melting Greenland’s ice sheet is likely to be a key contributor to this slowdown. The authors also stated that the rate of melting of the Greenland ice sheet is increasing. The Atlantic currents’ weakening will likely affect the weather in America and Europe. Stefan Rahmstorf is the lead author. He stated that “it’s conspicuous” that one area of the North Atlantic was cooling over the last hundred years, while other areas around the globe have been heating up. Previous studies had suggested that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation slowdown may be to blame. He added, “Now we know that the global conveyor has been declining over the last hundred years, especially since 1970.”. This illustration depicts the Atlantic Conveyor. It is a graph showing the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Stefan Rahmstorf/PIK. Since long-term ocean current data was not readily available, researchers used sea-surface temperature and atmospheric temperature data as a means to determine information about Atlantic ocean currents. This is because ocean currents were the primary cause of sub-polar North Atlantic temperature fluctuations. Temperatures can be calculated from data obtained from ocean sediments and tree rings as well as ice cores. Recent changes since the year 900 AD are “unprecedented” and indicate that global warming is to blame. Greenland’s ice sheet melts, likely disrupting circulation. The Atlantic overturning is caused by differences in water density. The south’s warmer water flows towards the north, while south-bound water, which tends to be denser, sinks further and moves south. Jason Box of the Geological Survey of Denmark, Greenland stated that “now freshwater from the melting Greenland Ice sheet is likely to disturb the circulation.” Greenland’s melting ice sheets have fresh water. This water is diluting the ocean waters. Saline water that is thinner is more likely to sink than colder waters. According to Mr. Box. Box. Michael Mann from Pennsylvania State University said that “Common climate modeling are underestimating what we face, either because of the Atlantic overturning being too stable or because they do not properly account for Greenland’s ice sheet melting.” The Northern Atlantic will cool but will still be affected by the continuing warming of other continents. Researchers do not believe we will be facing another ice age. They wrote that the fictionalized imagery from the Hollywood blockbuster “The Day After Tomorrow” is not true. Science is aware that an increase in Atlantic Ocean circulation could have significant negative consequences. Rahmstorf stated that “if the Atlantic Overturning slows down, it could have significant impacts.” The disturbance of the circulation can have a detrimental effect on the ocean ecosystem and fisheries, as well as the livelihoods of many coastal residents. “A slowerdown will also increase the sea level rise in New York City. Temperature changes can have an impact on weather systems in both North America and Europe. It would happen very quickly and there wouldn’t be any way to stop it. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, there’s a 10% possibility that such a thing could happen this century. Many scientists think the danger is higher, according to expert surveys. Citation: “Evidence for an exceptional 20th-Century slowdown in Atlantic Ocean overturning,” Rahmstorf, S., Box, J., Feulner, G., Mann, M., Robinson, A., Rutherford, S. and Schaffernicht, E. Nature Climate Change. Published 23 March 2015. DOI: 10.1038/nclimate2554. NASA Video – The Great Ocean Conveyor Belt. This NASA animation shows the thermohaline surface flow over the surface densities and how water sinks within dense oceans near Iceland and Greenland. After the ocean’s surface fades, the animation draws back to reveal the global thermohaline circulation.
A slowing Gulf Stream could cool British temperatures
