The world’s most powerful ocean currents could be slow by 2050

The ocean is an important part of our planet’s climate system. Through global circulation patterns, the ocean draws enormous amounts of planetary heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

It is also home to a vast ecosystem that maintains life both offshore and offshore.

Given its important role in regulating global climate, a change to the global ocean “conveyor belt” can have great consequences.

In recent years, there has been a growing scientific consensus that part of this global ocean circulation (what we call the meridian clasp cycle) is facing a catastrophic collapse.

You may already be familiar with some features of the meridian clasp circulation. Along the US East Coast, you will find the Gulf River or the Gulf Coast of eastern Australia.

However, there are also lesser known giants with currents located south of Australia.

It is called Antarctic Polar Current (ACC) and is concentrated with vortices and jets. It flows around the Antarctic and connects the planet’s three major sea basins: the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

The ACC is more than 100 times stronger than the Amazon River and five times more than the Gulf River.

It is a powerful current that separates Antarctica from its northern neighbors and serves as a physical and oceanographic barrier sequestering ice continents.

Given its power, change could affect Antarctica’s health, but it could also affect our global climate.

Over the years there has been a lot of scientific debate about the impact of climate change on the ACC.

The theory was that warming the oceans around Antarctica should speed up the ACC.

Recent studies have shown that the strength of ACCs has not changed significantly, but the effects of melted ice in Antarctica are not well understood by science. So our team designed a new model to explore its impact more closely.

Our new study published in the Environmental Research Letter found that if high carbon emissions continue, the ACC is likely to slow by up to 20% in 2050.

We analyzed cutting-edge model projections of the Global Ocean, created by colleagues at the University of New South Wales. The main drivers of this slowdown are seen melting ice around the Antarctic.

The more the ice melts, the more extreme water will be flooded by the water that dissolves, but the ACC will slow down.

So, what does slowing the ACC mean for our climate?

This strong current surrounds the Antarctic, helping to prevent warm waters and invasive species from moving onto this untouched continent.

A weaker ACC could allow for warm water to travel to the Antarctic, which will melt more ice and slow the current even more, creating a vicious cycle.

And with that warm water, invasive species like the Southern Burkelp can move to the Antarctic, where they can disrupt delicate food webs.

Beyond the local effects of ACC slowdown, there are also global effects.

This acceleration of melted ice promotes sea level rise faster.

Meanwhile, with the decrease in ACC strength, deceleration reduces the ocean’s ability to absorb heat and carbon from the atmosphere.

This could speed up climate change.

So, are we 100% sure these changes to the ACC will happen? That’s not necessarily the case.

I’m sure melted ice will slow down the ACC, but it’s unclear where, where it is.

Several studies suggest that it may be too late to prevent melting in the West Antarctica, but melting in the East Antarctica remains potentially preventable.

To do this, the world must focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to prevent oceans that absorb more atmospheric heat ultimately directed towards the Antarctic.

Our climate outlook remains uncertain, but global warming can mitigate the potential impact of global warming by taking concrete action to reduce carbon emissions.