<
https://theconversation.com/weakening-currents-in-the-atlantic-may-mean-a-wetter-northern-australia-and-drier-new-zealand-248679>
"Europe is warmed by heat from ocean currents, which move water from the warm
tropics to the colder North Atlantic. Once the warm, salty water from the
tropics reach the polar region, they cool enough to sink to the depths and flow
back towards the Southern Ocean.
This enormous system of currents is known as the Atlantic Meridional
Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Climate scientists are increasingly worried
about the AMOC, which appears to be slowing down.
While there’s still debate over whether the AMOC has weakened over the last
decades, climate models consistently show the AMOC will significantly weaken
over the coming century due to the increase in heat-trapping atmospheric
greenhouse gases. As more heat stays in the system, the ocean heats up and ice
melts, adding fresh water to polar oceans. The overall effect is to slow these
currents. The AMOC could weaken 30% by 2060.
A weaker AMOC would mean big changes in Europe, which benefits directly from
the warmer waters it brings. But it would also change the climate in the
Southern Hemisphere. Our new research shows a weakening of the AMOC would lead
to a large change in rainfall patterns, leading to wetter summers in northern
Australia and a drier New Zealand year-round. Indonesia and northern Papua New
Guinea would also become drier."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
