Led by physicist René van Westen, the researchers focused on a phenomenon known as the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). The density of this salty water is higher than that of fresh water, so as the water cools, it sinks. At the 1750-year mark, the team observed the AMOC collapse from a flow rate of about 10 Sv to 2 Sv by model year 1850. “This means we are moving closer to the tipping point and are thus on route for tipping,” he tells Physics World. “One of the most important findings in our work is that AMOC tipping is possible and that it is not just a theoretical concept,” Westen emphasizes.
