We do not understand the oceans as well as the land. And so, when an anomaly appears, it leaves a lot of oceanographers scratching their heads and heading back to the drawing board, or in their case, their ocean charts. The anomaly in question lies to the south of Greenland, in the Atlantic Ocean. It was spotted many years ago, and it is only recently that scientists think they have solved the mystery.
The reason for this is the discovery of a huge cold patch of water in the Atlantic. What is more, the oceans, due to global warming, are increasing in temperature. However, this area remains cooler. And here is another puzzle. Oceanographers have named this cold area of water the North Atlantic Warming Hole. I do not know why, but it is.
However, recent analysis of ocean currents and levels of salinity in the water has uncovered what could be a serious problem. Ocean currents around the world are complex, and small changes in one part of the world can have larger effects in another part. The El Niño Effect is a good example of this. An increase in temperature in the Southeastern Pacific has an effect on the weather in Europe and other parts of the globe. It is a naturally occurring regular phenomenon.
What oceanographers now believe is that a set of ocean currents, called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation or AMOC for short, is slowing down. This is causing a weakening of the climate system in this part of the world. The data only comes from the last 20 years, as such studies of the AMOC did not begin until the. But the evidence for this conclusion is strong.
So, does this have any other consequences for us all? It is believed that as this effect progresses, it will have a greater effect on the wind and rain experienced in Europe. This is perhaps another example of the “Butterfly Effect”. This says that a butterfly flapping its wings somewhere in the world could cause a hurricane in another part. A little fanciful, I agree, but the theory is sound. Small changes can cause big effects.
Another concern is that a rise in temperature and a change in salinity levels would have a detrimental effect on marine ecosystems. We already have the bleaching of coral reefs due to temperature rise, so this may be another price we are paying for the effect humans are having on this planet. It is a lesson which will be repeated unless we do something about it.
John Pullen 