Tag Archives: Gulf Stream

Gulf Stream may not collapse, it may gradually come to a halt – these AMOC graphs show

Here at Bitsofscience.org we’ve written quite extensively on why a direct shutdown of the Gulf Stream is unlikely – and that the collapse scenario featured in that one movie we only ever saw the trailer of probably did not even … Continue reading →

Europe can have warm Gulf Stream and ice age cold peak simultaneously

Judging by new ocean sediment measurements and climate model runs the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) was ‘at least as strong’ during the last ice age’s Last Glacial Maximum as it is today.

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 →

No more ‘horror winters’ for Europe – not for several years ahead – and indeed also not this year

Extremely cold winters for Europe persisting for several months are very rare. The last one to fit the definition occurred in 1963, almost half a century ago. Still many weather forecasters and media seem inclined (as again happened this year) … Continue reading →

Today’s paradox: Russian ice is melting, water becomes saltier

As the climate changes, so does the face of local meteorology. In the Arctic it appears the Beaufort high is gradually making place for increased dominance of low pressure systems, leading to a more dominant positive phase in the Arctic … Continue reading →

Ice age riddle nr2: If Lake Agassiz drained at wrong time, what caused Younger Dryas?

In our first ice age riddle a couple of days ago we looked at the link between CO2 rise and ice retreat, after the last ice age had reached its max, some 18,000 years ago.

Newly discovered North Icelandic Jet more important than East Greenland Current for AMOC – good news?

Icelandic scientists say they have discovered a new overturning site, where cold, dense, deep water is formed and transported through a separate route towards the Denmark Strait and further south into the Atlantic Ocean.

If solar minimum caused Little Ice Age we would have big freeze now

It is often suggested that lower total solar irradiance (TSI) due to a decline in solar activity (less sunspots) was responsible for the Little Ice Age, a period of colder weather conditions from the end of the Middle Ages to … Continue reading →