Earth’s strongest ocean current could slow down by 20% by 2050 in a high emissions future
by Petra Stock from on (#6VMXF)
Melting Antarctic ice is releasing cold, fresh water into the ocean, which is projected to cause the slowdown
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In a high emissions future, the world's strongest ocean current could slow down by 20% by 2050, further accelerating Antarctic ice sheet melting and sea level rise, an Australian-led study has found.
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current - a clockwise current more than four times stronger than the Gulf Stream that links the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans - plays a critical role in the climate system by influencing the uptake of heat and carbon dioxide in the ocean and preventing warmer waters from reaching Antarctica.
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