One of Earth’s most vital ocean currents is rapidly weakening. The cause: global warming. A collapse of this current could send devastating ripples through the planet’s climate.
The current is known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Most scientists just call it AMOC. If it were to shut down, the consequences could be catastrophic and far-ranging. In the worst case: Earth’s warming climate could flip to a deep-freeze. Scientists refer to this scenario as a “snowball Earth.”
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Why might that happen?
AMOC moves warm surface waters in the Atlantic Ocean from the tropics northward toward Europe. This water ferries with it a massive amount of heat. If that transport were to shut down, scientists say, the world might see a host of dramatic weather. Europe could experience more temperature extremes, of both chilling and heating. The Southern Hemisphere would warm even more than it is now. The North Atlantic would trigger stronger storms. The drought in Africa’s Sahel wou...
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