Weakening Atlantic ocean current system could bring disruptive results

LONDON, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Recent studies showed that the Atlantic current is at its weakest and expected to be weakened further, with potentially severe consequences.

Scientists studied various data sets on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a current system that brings warm water northwards to the north pole and colder water back southwards.

The researches, both published Wednesday on Nature magazine, found that AMOC is weaker by around 15 percent than 1,600 years ago and is expected to further slow down.

The exact reasons of the weakening are yet to be determined, while scientists considered natural climate variability, human-caused climate change and burning of fossil fuels as possible factors. A study in 2017 also suggested Arctic sea-ice decline affects ocean circulation.

"The (current) climate models don't predict (that an AMOC shutdown) is going to happen in the future. The problem is how certain are we it is not going to happen?" said David Thornalley from University College London.

"...in the past this weakening of AMOC happened very rapidly and caused big changes," the leading author of one of the new studies was quoted by The Guardian newspaper.

"We are only beginning to understand the consequences of this unprecedented process, but they might be disruptive," said Alexander Robinson from Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. Enditem