The current is partly why Western Europe enjoys temperate weather, and meteorologists are linking changes in North Atlantic Ocean temperatures to recent summer heat waves. The AMOC circulation is just one part of a far larger global system of ocean currents, driven by differences in the temperature and salinity of ocean water. “I think by applying different methods and looking at different time scales, the two studies focused on different components of the ocean circulation,” she said. As for the future, Rahmstorf predicts the circulation will only weaken further as climate change advances. “I think in the long run … Greenland will start melting even faster, so I think the long-term prospect for that ocean circulation system is that it will weaken further,” Rahmstorf said.

Source: Washington Post April 11, 2018 17:02 UTC