Understanding Sea Level Rise, p4: ice sheet dynamics and (13) melting feedbacks – a background to 21st century SLR acceleration

In 2016 two influential new publications raised the possibility of a rapid acceleration of sea level rise in the 21st century – to ±2 metres (DeConto & Pollard) or more (2-5m, Hansen et al). In this background article we take … Continue reading

Antarctic Carbon Capture and Storage Whirlpools discovered

“The Southern Ocean is a large window by which the atmosphere connects to the interior of the ocean below” – Jean-Baptiste Sallée from British Antarctic Survey, lead author of new publication in the August edition of Nature Geoscience.

MOC may have a power switch in Southern Ocean too

MOC stands for Meridional Overturning Circulation, and although it refers to the same global pattern of ocean currents (‘conveyor belt’) as the thermohaline circulation, this story shows why actually MOC is the more accurate name, as it is not just … Continue reading

New evidence for bipolar seesaw link between Greenland and Antarctica – and abrupt climate variability

Glacials and interglacials on the northern and southern hemisphere somehow do not seem to correspond. This has led to a ‘thermal bipolar seesaw theory,’ whereby an off-mode in the thermohaline circulation leads to an ice age in Europe, but excess … Continue reading