New Doubts on Climatic Effects of Ocean Currents, Clouds
July 12, 2021
Recent research has cast doubt on the influence of two watery entities – ocean currents and clouds – on future global warming. But, unlike many climate studies, the two research papers are grounded in empirical observations rather than theoretical models.
The first study examined so-called deep water formation in the Labrador Sea, located between Greenland and Canada in the North Atlantic Ocean, and its connection to the strength of the AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation). The AMOC forms part of the ocean conveyor belt that redistributes seawater and heat around the globe. Despite recent evidence to the contrary, computer climate models have predicted that climate change may weaken the AMOC or even shut it down altogether.
Deep water formation, which occurs in a few localized areas across the world, refers to the sinking of cold, salty surface water to depths of several kilometers because it’s denser than warm, fresher water; winter winds in the Labrador Sea both cool the surface and increase salinity through evaporation. Most climate models link any decline in North Atlantic deep water formation, due to global warming, to decreases in the strength of the AMOC.
https://www.scienceunderattack.com/blog/2021/7/12/new-doubts-on-climatic-effects-of-ocean-currents-clouds-81
