Wait, didn’t they tell us that the ocean currents were all slowing down? I mean, like, just tell us this, and that it would lead to an ice age like in the movie The Day After Tomorrow?
The slowing down of ocean currents could have a devastating effect on our climate
The Gulf Stream is slowing to a ‘tipping point’ and could disappear
A Major Ocean Current Is at Its Weakest Point in 1,000 Years
There are plenty more links, but, I used ones from last year. Except for that last one, which is from April of 2022
Ocean currents are accelerating due to climate change, UCSD study says
A new study out of UCSD determined climate change is responsible for altering global ocean currents, making them faster and thinner. The study was led by researchers out of Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.
The research involved running computer model data amid a rising surface temperature alongside other variables. Shang-Ping Xie, a Professor of Climate Science at UCSD’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, says his team is now focused on the global and local implications and effects of this conclusion. “We were very surprised to see there is a consistent global-wide surface ocean current acceleration as we heat the ocean from the surface,” Xie told CBS 8. “As a scientist, the surprising part of our research is the global nature of this current acceleration. That indicates the results are quite robust and consistent with our physical laws.”
You could pretty much stop at computer model data.
The new data could suggest a harsh future for our oceans, with currents affecting the amount of photosynthesis taking place, nutrients available to marine life, and potentially even more difficult migratory patterns for wildlife. “The ocean currents speed up and therefore the horizontal and vertical distribution of nutrients is going to change accordingly,” said Xie. “So that’s going to affect the distribution and activity of photosynthesis and therefore the biological activity overall.”
Did they gather lots and lots of data to put this study together, check many points around the globe, or, just a sliver and run it through the computer?
Last month the study was published and is now helping to resolve an ongoing debate on the cause of an increase in ocean currents. Scientists have often attributed the acceleration to wind, but this new study found global warming as a primary culprit.
Oh, the same month another study said the ocean currents were slowing down?
The team says the next step will be determining the extent of damage that can occur due to the change in speed. The full study can be found in the journal Nature and Science Advances.
I’d think the first thing they would need to do is to verify their study, not come out with doom and gloom.
Read: Your Fault: Ocean Currents Speeding Up From Hotcoldwetdry »