News Climate

Warming could disrupt Atlantic Ocean current

New simulations revise freshwater impact on circulation’s stability

Atlantic Ocean current

CONVEYOR BELT  Rising temperatures could shut down the Atlantic Ocean current (depicted here) that helps warm northwestern Europe, a new simulation shows.

JPL-Caltech/NASA

By Thomas Sumner

- More than 2 years ago

Spewing too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere could shut down the major ocean current that ferries warm water to the North Atlantic, new climate simulations suggest.