Sediments off Brazil's northeast coast reveal sudden changes in heat transport in the Atlantic
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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies .
The short version
- The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a vast system of ocean currents that functions as a conveyor belt for heat across the Atlantic.
- It carries warm water from equatorial and tropical regions to high latitudes in the North Atlantic.
- This helps regulate the climate in both hemispheres by moderating temperatures in Europe and parts of North America.
What happened
It also influences rainfall patterns in intertropical regions of Africa and South America. Global warming has gradually weakened the AMOC, and researchers have warned for decades about the risk of the circulation reaching a critical threshold that would trigger an abrupt slowdown and radically alter the climate in various regions of the planet.
Why it matters
Previous research indicated that the circulation could remain in this weakened, relatively stable state for thousands of years.
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