Amid extreme heat, rain and winters wreaking havoc across the world, scientists have warned that the collapse of a vital Atlantic Ocean current system could significantly increase the impact of climate change on Earth’s weather patterns.
As per the latest research, the crucial Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could collapse as early as 2030, reports CNN. The AMOC is on a path to destruction as it is weakened by persistently warmer ocean temperatures and worsening salinity due to human-induced climate change.
About ocean currents
As the name suggests, ocean currents refer to the movement of water in a certain direction in the ocean. The directional movement of seawater is influenced by gravity, wind, and water density. Ocean water flows in two directions: horizontal and vertical.
Ocean currents are also driven by salinity and ocean temperature, according to a process called thermohaline circulation. One can consider that these currents move in a large “global conveyor belt” across the ocean. The AMOC is a part of that large conveyor belt.
What is AMOC?
The AMOC is responsible for the circulation of water from north to south and back. This pattern of circulation continues within the Atlantic Ocean. According to the National Ocean Service, the AMOC plays a vital role in maintaining favorable weather patterns as it brings heat to different parts of the world and also carries nutrients vital for the survival of marine life. The collapse of the AMOC would lead to drastic changes in weather and climate, reports CNN.
Impact of AMOC collapse on climate change and extreme weather
According to the research titled ‘Possible projections of 21st century AMOC collapse’, the timing of AMOC collapse is estimated to be between 2037 and 2064, with an average of 2050.
Scientists worry that weather patterns are already changing significantly due to greenhouse gas emissions, climate change and glacier melt. The collapse of the AMOC will make things even worse.
“All the negative side effects of anthropogenic climate change, they will still continue, like more heat waves, more droughts, more floods. Then if you have the collapse of the AMOC on top of that… the climate will be even more distorted,” CNN quoted René van Westen, a marine and atmospheric researcher at Utrecht University in the Netherlands and a co-author of the study.
