thermohaline circulation
What is the oceans role in climate? The oceans play a vital and pivotal role in the distribution of life sustaining water throughout our planet. 86% of the evaporation that occurs on earth is over the oceans. The oceans are the planets largest reservoir of water transferring huge amounts of water around the hydrological cycle. In fact the oceans "dominate the hydrological cycle, for they contain 97% of the global water inventory" . The hydrological cycle can be disrupted by changes in ocean circulation that play such an important role on evaporation and precipitation. When the ocean circulation system changes it can change how much heat and rainfall is distributed around the world. Changes on a global scale can ultimately lead to flooding and long term drought in various regions. The big questions are can we monitor the oceans circulation and watch for climate changes? Can we predict what might happen if the ocean circulation changed dramatically? We have experienced major climate changes in the past; can we look for evidence of ocean change during these periods?The global ocean circulation system is called the thermohaline circulation. Often called the 'conveyor belt' c
Evidence for this is found in sediment in the Gulf of Mexico (depleted in Oxygen 18) and sediment on the slopes of the Bermuda Rise. Unfortunately our current knowledge of the phenomenon is not advanced enough. When the conveyor belt switches state it changes the amount of heat transported to the North Atlantic and the result is global climate change. At first it flowed into the Gulf of Mexico from the mississipi (oxygen 18 depleted sediment has been discovered there) then thropugh the great lakes to the St Lawrence. All this freshwater flowing into the North Atlkantic diluted the saltwater. Global warming and climate change are a very real concern. Computer models are limited partly due to the limits of current technology and the fact that there are so many factors to analyse. Their results showed major shifts in the operation of the conveyor belt. When the conveyor belt weakens or stops it has coincided with disruptions in the convection system in the North Sea. The conveyor "transports heat into the North Atlantic and salt out of it". Somewhat less extensive glaciations occurred during parts of the Ordovician and Silurian (between about 460 and 430 million years ago). There are a lot of uncertainties in climate research however and even computer models struggle with possible scenario's for past as well as future. The ice core worked like a thermometer measuring how cold the air was over Greenland when the ice was laid. The Atlantic waters become colder and saltier again starting back up the conveyor belt. Rapid climate change in Britain could grind the infrastructure to a halt and effect the economy drastically.
Common topics in this essay:
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,
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Rusty Lotti,
Labrador Sea,
Past History,
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hydrological cycle,
northern hemisphere,
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computer models,
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image conveyor belt,
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