A new study reveals that melting Antarctic ice could weaken Earth’s strongest ocean current by up to 20% by 2050. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), which surrounds Antarctica, plays a crucial role in transporting around a billion liters of water per second and maintaining the temperature balance between the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Southern oceans.
Climate change is causing rapid melting of Antarctic ice, adding cold, fresh water to the Southern Ocean. Researchers used advanced climate models to study the impact of this influx on the ACC’s strength and circulation. The results show that the cold meltwater weakens the current by diluting the surrounding seawater, slowing convection between surface and deep waters near the ice sheet.
This slowdown could allow more warm water to reach the Antarctic Ice Sheet, exacerbating melting and contributing to sea level rise. It also increases the risk of invasive species reaching Antarctica’s coastline, potentially disrupting its unique ecosystem.
While it is difficult to predict when we will start to feel the effects, experts warn that a long-term record of ocean monitoring is essential to differentiate warming-induced changes from baseline conditions. The ACC’s slowdown will have far-reaching consequences for global ocean circulation and temperature patterns, making it a critical area of research in understanding climate change impacts.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/rivers-oceans/oceans-heart-is-slowing-down-and-it-will-affect-the-entire-planets-circulation