Scientists are worried the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a “critical aquatic conveyer belt” that drives currents in the Atlantic Ocean, is at risk of near-complete collapse.
A shutdown of the crucial circulation system could “bring extreme cold to Europe and parts of North America, raise sea levels along the U.S. East Coast, and disrupt seasonal monsoons that provide water to much of the world,” the Post reports. The effects, in short, would be devastating.
“The mere possibility that the AMOC tipping point is close should be enough for us to take countermeasures,” warns Levke Caesar, a climate physicist at Maynooth University.
Scientists previously believed the AMOC would in fact weaken this century, but didn’t imagine total collapse within the next 300 years except in absolute worst-case warming scenarios.
Now, according to a new Nature study, that critical threshold “is most likely much closer than we would have expected,” said Niklas Boers, the study’s author and a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. Any exact date, however, is still unknown.
It would take years of monitoring and data collection to officially confirm the AMOC slowdown, but there is a degree of “jeopardy” associated with waiting for that proof, scientists say. Besides, possible consequences, like a “cold blob” in the ocean south of Greenland, are already being felt.
Frighteningly, if the system does devastatingly shut down, the switch off would be irreversible in human lifetimes.
“It’s one of those events that should not happen,” said Boers. “This is a system we don’t want to mess with.”
What is the AMOC?
The AMOC is the product of a gigantic, ocean-wide balancing act. It starts in the tropics, where high temperatures not only warm up the seawater but also increase its proportion of salt by boosting evaporation.
This warm, salty water flows northeast from the U.S. coastline toward Europe — creating the current we know as the Gulf Stream.
But as the current gains latitude it cools, adding density to waters already laden with salt. By the time it hits Greenland, it is dense enough to sink deep beneath the surface.
It pushes other submerged water south toward Antarctica, where it mixes with other ocean currents as part of a global system known as the “thermohaline circulation.”
This circulation is at the heart of Earth’s climate system, playing a critical role in redistributing heat and regulating weather patterns around the world.
As long as the necessary temperature and salinity gradients exist, AMOC is self-sustaining, Boers explained. The predictable physics that make dense water sink and lighter water “upwell” keep the circulation churning in an endless loop.
Higher temperatures make ocean waters warmer and lighter. An influx of freshwater from melting ice sheets and glaciers dilutes North Atlantic’s saltiness, reducing its density. If these waters aren’t heavy enough to sink, the entire AMOC will shut down.
It’s happened before. Studies suggest that toward the end of the last ice age, a massive glacial lake burst through a declining North American ice sheet. The flood of freshwater spilled into the Atlantic, halting the AMOC and plunging much of the Northern Hemisphere — especially Europe — into deep cold. Gas bubbles trapped in polar ice indicate the cold spell lasted 1,000 years. Analyses of plant fossils and ancient artifacts suggest that the climate shift transformed ecosystems and threw human societies into upheaval.
“The phenomenon is intrinsically bi-stable,” Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution President Peter de Menocal said of the AMOC. “It’s either on or it’s off.”
But is it about to turn off now?
“That’s the core question we’re all concerned about,” said de Menocal, who was not involved in Boers’s research.
After all, there are plenty of other indications that Earth’s climate is in unprecedented territory. This summer, the Pacific Northwest was blasted by a heat wave scientists say was “virtually impossible” without human-caused warming. China, Germany, Belgium, Uganda and India have all experienced massive, deadly floods. Wildfires are raging from California to Turkey to the frozen forests of Siberia.
And the apparent consequences of the AMOC slowing are already being felt. A persistent “cold blob” in the ocean south of Greenland is thought to result from less warm water reaching that region. The lagging Gulf Stream has caused exceptionally high sea level rise along the U.S. East Coast. Key fisheries have been upended by the rapid temperature swings, and beloved species are struggling to cope with the changes.
If the AMOC does completely shut down, the change would be irreversible in human lifetimes, Boers said. The “bi-stable” nature of the phenomenon means it will find new equilibrium in its “off” state. Turning it back on would require a shift in the climate far greater than the changes that triggered the shutdown.
“It’s one of those events that should not happen, and we should try all that we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible,” Boers said. “This is a system we don’t want to mess with.” [WP]
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Man now has the ability to manipulate the weather. You would think they would use it for the good of mankind, but they are not. They are using it to manipulate the world population for control of the money and the populace. They are destroying our healthcare system, our police force and our schools. Our children’s future is not going to be safe. If you can read about it it’s already happening…https://www.geoengineeringwatch.org/what-is-haarp/
For ocean currents to shut down a few things must happen. 1. Earth needs to stop spinning and, 2. The sun must stop shining.
Unless and until those two things happen the ocean currents will continue to flow, no dishonest “green” BS will ever change that!
If you read the ancient texts around the world that very thing has occured before. A few times. The welsh , celtics, and egyptians speak of the destroywr, wormwood, or return of the sun. They speak of the earth stop spinning axes tilting and night and day stopping all together. The battle in bible is one that comes to mind.
There is proof our north pole changes back to three positions alternating between them. Something is causing this and realines our planet.
You said nothing but the sponning would change that. I beg to differ. A very large body say planet or sun coming by in orbit would cause the earth to stop spinning, however not the sun.
There is a theory that when it returned during the time of moses the large planet mass was on the other side of the sun from us. While suring noahs time (great flood) it passed right by us on the same side as the sun. Causing floods quales volcanoes and as the welsh said.
It could be seen in the sky for many months even years depending on where. And that the people paniced and destroyed everything bc whats the point we all going to die anyway was the mentality.
One writer then wrote courage was spilling from man like water from a broken vase. That they could not escape the inevitable horror bc it was always there present in the sky now.
They would never tell us the return of the son is really return of the sun. And will likely kill and destroy most of everything on earth. No they would never tell us that till last possible second. So we can work and slave and make sure the rich elite surrive.
Wrong. Carl Sagan warned about 20 yrs ago that if that current shutdown or deviated it would cause weather extremes in Europe. That current was the only thing moderating temps at that latitude. I saw that current collapse about 10 yrs ago. Go to -https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/chem/surface/level/overlay=cosc/orthographic=-120.76,33.45,1048 – and you can see it real time. Click “EARTH” button and select “OCEAN”.
This website makes whole internet worth something.
After Carl Sagan died, we have no more real scientists. No, especially not Bill Lie.
Addendum: Carl Sagan got into this discussion because he saw the incompetence and B.S. being made public to cause panic. He indicated if “Climate Change” was a concern, and because it does happen REGULARLY, he thought this current would be the best and likely the first real evidence of changes on a Global scale.
And here we are. Share the website… best tool available.
“Chem” overlay shows impact of fires too.
I think this story is fiction. Climate scientists throwing out more B.S. just to get more money from Americans. I’m tired of it and think ALL climate scientists should be FIRED!!!
If it has happened before, even without any human influence, why do we look for blame with humans? (Silly question, that’s where the money is). It smacks of arrogance to assume that we really do have an influence. What humanity is good at, is adaptation to changing circumstances, which allows us to survive nearly everywhere. So why don’t we simply prepare for a changing world climate? Better insulation, different way of growing food, preparation of better water management, and so on… Well, that would make folks more independent from central control, and we can’t have that.
Exactly! ?
How about nibiru? The return of the small dwarf sun could be causing these effects along with mans help. Ever ask why the mass level extinctions on earth are repeated over and over? Its like its ok n a cycle. We have proof of times in history when there was no moon on earth and yet we had tides.
Whatever the cause earth seems to constantly go threw environmental changes that has devestating effects on the species of this planet.
Grand solar minimum. A good book on Earth cooling events, is called ‘Ice’ by the late Sir Fred Hoyle. Written in the early 80’s, he proposes ways to delay the oncoming of the next ice age.
Steve Quayle seems to be a pretty intelligent guy so I cannot figure out why he continually regurgitates globalist nonsense about “how greenhouse gas emissions are causing climate change” like is alluded to in this article. The Washington Post is the source for the content in this piece?? Give me a break!
The hubris for anyone to say that “curbing greenhouse emissions” is somehow going to have an effect on the AMOC in any way shape or form is off the charts! Stop with the globalist nonsense! Humans could stop producing any CO2 at all and it would have ZERO effect on the Earth’s climate. The climate on Earth is entirely driven by the Sun and energies from space. The emissions from volcanoes have much more of an effect on the Earth’s climate than all of man’s activities put together. The entire ‘CO2 causes global warming’ scam is the globalist’s final powerplay for total control over the people of the world through control of energy production and use – their plan would negatively impact virtually everything we do as humans. Stop helping them Steve!
Covered in total detail by John Moore ( The Liberty Man ) years ago.
Well, some experts say we will be experiencing a multi-pronged attack from the satanic elitists. Weather warfare to drive the climate hoax agenda, famines, pestilence, great reset, medical tyranny —all at the same time.
Then the fake vax kill switch death jab, 5g, and graphene oxide.
Georgia guidestones spell it out. Right there in front of your faces. Only cognitive dissonance prevents a mass awakening.
Better get right with Christ. You will need a solid rock and foundation during the Tribulation.
Back when the well leaked all the oil, along with the corexit went into the gulf of mexico, they said is would stop the gulf stream. Without a strong gulf stream this is what happens.
We were warned this would happen when the huge BP oil spill in the Gulf flooded the floor of the Gulf of Mexico enough muck and oil to change the thermodynamics of the entire Gulf. Oil normally floats but a chemical was sprayed on it to sink to the Gulf floor. BP was warned to stop using it but continued anyway to facilitate the clean up…….slow moving trainwreck
maybe its normal behavior for the oceans to act like this?