health
Critical Atlantic current significantly more likely to collapse than thought
Scientists say finding is ‘very concerning’ as collapse would be catastrophic for Europe, Africa and the Americas
TL;DR
- New research suggests the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (Amoc) is much more likely to collapse than previously thought.
- The study indicates a slowdown of 42% to 58% by 2100, a level almost certain to result in collapse.
- A collapse would have catastrophic consequences, including shifts in tropical rainfall, extreme weather in Europe, and sea level rise.
- The 'pessimistic' climate models, which predict a strong weakening of the Amoc, were found to be the most realistic.
- The Amoc is slowing due to rising Arctic air temperatures and meltwater from Greenland, which affects ocean salinity and density.
- The research used real-world ocean observations to assess climate models, reducing uncertainty and increasing the credibility of the findings.