The Atlantic North-South Salinity Circulation will cease to circulate at some point

The Atlantic North-South Salinity Circulation will cease to circulate at some point

The Atlantic North-South Heat and Salt Circulation is an ocean current system that affects much of the climate of the Northern Hemisphere.

It affects not only the Atlantic coastline, but also countries as far away as Thailand and Southeast Asia.

As the ocean circulation changes, so does the weather, bringing with it changes in temperature and precipitation patterns that have shaped life and society for generations.

2. Such a North-South Atlantic thermohaline circulation would eventually cease or be severely weakened (by at least 45%) if global warming were to be repeated.

3. If this happens, it is likely to bring climate disaster. The far north of Europe will freeze and average winter temperatures will fall by more than 10°C. Crop production and incomes would fall across the continent due to lower temperatures and drier conditions in most areas.

4. Sea levels will rise by up to 30 centimetres along the east coast of North America, inundating houses and buildings along the coast. The summer monsoon will weaken in much of Africa and Asia, increasing the incidence of drought and famine and causing people to experience incalculable food and water shortages.

Prof. PhD & Dr Kamuro, Associate Professor, California Institute of Technology, USA