The Day After Tomorrow: The Real Threat of an AMOC Collapse

🌊The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a key component of the global Thermohaline Circulation or Global Ocean Conveyor Belt.

⚠️The AMOC is at risk of slowing down due to increased levels of atmospheric CO2, accelerated melting of the Greenland ice sheet, and decreasing sea ice volume in the Arctic.

🌡️A slowdown in the AMOC could lead to a cooling effect in the North Atlantic region and increased storminess across Europe, as well as worsening droughts and sea-level rise in other parts of the world.

📉Research suggests that the AMOC has reached its lowest point since records began in 1880, and models project a further weakening in the future.

💡Scientists are working on developing early warning monitoring systems to track medium-term variations in salinity levels and predict an AMOC collapse decades in advance.

What is the AMOC?

—The AMOC, or Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, is a system of currents that transports heat and energy around the globe, playing a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate.

What are the potential consequences of an AMOC collapse?

—An AMOC collapse could result in cooling in the North Atlantic region, worsening droughts, more powerful hurricanes, and a rise in sea levels. It would have profound socio-economic impacts worldwide.

What factors contribute to the slowing down of the AMOC?

—Increased levels of atmospheric CO2, accelerated melting of the Greenland ice sheet, and decreasing sea ice volume in the Arctic are all contributing factors to the potential slowdown of the AMOC.

How can we prevent an AMOC collapse?

—The most effective way to prevent an AMOC collapse is to rapidly reduce our use of fossil fuels, transition to renewable energy sources, and implement sustainable land and forest management practices.

What is being done to monitor the AMOC?

—Scientists are developing early warning monitoring systems to track changes in salinity levels in subtropical and subpolar waters, which could provide indicators of an AMOC collapse.

00:00The movie 'The Day After Tomorrow' portrayed a collapse of the Atlantic Ocean circulatory system, known as AMOC, resulting in instant ice age.

12:47A recent study predicts a 15% decline in AMOC since the mid-20th century, with potential consequences including cooling in the North Atlantic region, worsening droughts, powerful hurricanes, and major socio-economic impacts.

06:57Increased levels of atmospheric CO2, accelerated melting of the Greenland ice sheet, and decreasing sea ice volume in the Arctic are all contributing factors to the potential slowdown of the AMOC.

09:00Research suggests that the AMOC has reached its lowest point since records began in 1880, and models project a further weakening in the future.

12:56Scientists are working on developing early warning monitoring systems to track medium-term variations in salinity levels and predict an AMOC collapse decades in advance.