John Abraham, professor of mechanical engineering, spoke to the Minnesota Public Radio about shifting ocean currents. New research indicates warmer oceans may change ocean currents and atmospheric patterns in a big way.
Host: This study finds a higher chance than previously thought that the Atlantic Ocean may see some big changes. What do we need to know here?
Abraham: There’s what’s called a conveyor belt in the ocean, and this is water that travels up the East Coast of the United States and then goes toward Greenland, Iceland and Northern Europe. The water gets cold, sinks to the bottom of the ocean and then it travels backward.
It sort of goes in a like a loop – or a conveyor belt. That passageway of water is really, really important because it brings heat up to Europe, and it’s the reason why England’s temperatures are much more mild.
These scientists discovered that this conveyor belt of water is slowing down, and it will likely stop in the future. It’s going to have really crazy consequences for our climate.