AMOC
Atlantic Meridonacal overturning current.
National security threat
Concept photo generated to demonstrate the fine balance of altitude sea levels. Sea temperatures.
Current
The “overturning current” you’re referring to is the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), often described as the Atlantic’s “great conveyor belt.” This massive system of currents plays a critical role in global climate by transporting warm, salty water from the tropics north toward the Arctic. In the high latitudes of the North Atlantic, this surface water cools and loses heat to the atmosphere—which helps keep Western Europe significantly warmer than other regions at similar latitudes. As the water cools, its salinity and density increase, causing it to sink to the deep ocean floor. This cold, dense water then flows southward in a deep return current, completing the overturning loop. This circulation is essential not only for regional weather but also for redistributing heat, dissolved oxygen, and carbon throughout the ocean basins, impacting marine ecosystems and the ocean’s function as a vital carbon sink.However, recent studies indicate that the AMOC is weakening, and scientists are concerned that continued global warming could push it past a critical
“tipping point.”
The primary factor driving this slowdown is the influx of freshwater into the North Atlantic, primarily from melting ice sheets in Greenland. This freshwater is less dense than the salty ocean water and inhibits the cooling surface water from sinking, thereby disrupting the engine of the overturning circulation. If the AMOC were to substantially slow or, in a worst-case scenario, collapse, the consequences would be severe: Northern Europe could face much harsher winters, global rainfall patterns could shift drastically (affecting tropical monsoon regions), and sea levels could rise along the U.S. East Coast. While the exact trajectory and timing of a potential collapse are subject to scientific debate, the potential risks have led some governments, like Iceland’s
Kevin Griffiths
percypaschal
The Proprietor Review 