8 months ago
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The above image shows monthly Atlantic surface temperatures through February 2024 (background image), highlighting the potential for the slowing down of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) to contribute to more heat accumulating at the surface of the Atlantic and methane to erupt from the seafloor of the Arctic Ocean.
Increased ocean stratification (due to rising temperatures), heavier melting of Greenland's ice and freshwater runoff from land and rivers can all contribute to slowing down of AMOC. While this is causing less ocean heat to reach the Arctic Ocean at the moment, a huge amount of ocean heat is accumulating in the North Atlantic that threatens to abruptly move into the Arctic Ocean.
The inset illustrates that, as people's emissions heat up the air and oceans, strengthening wind, ocean currents, rainfall, etc., the potential increases for a lid to form and spread at the surface of the North Atlantic. As temperatures rise, more evaporation takes place and more rain falls further down the path of the Gulf Stream, an ocean current that extends into the Arctic Ocean, as part of AMOC. This rain further contributes to the freshwater accumulation at the surface of the North Atlantic.
This page further discusses formation of a cool freshwater lid at the surface of the North Atlantic and the contribution to this of Jet Stream changes. The image below shows that the Jet Stream reached speeds as high as 455 km/h or 283 mph north of Washington on February 18, 2024 03:00 UTC, with Instantaneous Wind Power Density as high as 387.5 kW/m².
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| From the post Blue Ocean Event 2024? |
The danger is that, due to strong wind along the path of the Gulf Stream, huge amounts of ocean heat will abruptly get pushed into the Arctic Ocean, with the influx of ocean heat causing destabilization of hydrates contained in sediments at the seafloor of the Arctic Ocean, resulting in eruptions of huge amounts of methane.
Climate Emergency Declaration
The situation is dire and the precautionary principle calls for rapid, comprehensive and effective action to reduce the damage and to improve the situation, as described in this 2022 post, where needed in combination with a Climate Emergency Declaration, as discussed at this group.
