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Major reversal in ocean circulation detected in the Southern Ocean, with key climate implications | Institut de Ciències del Mar (www.icm.csic.es)
submitted 1 year ago* by to c/world@lemmy.world
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"We are witnessing a true reversal of ocean circulation in the Southern Hemisphere—something we’ve never seen before,” explains Antonio Turiel, ICM-CSIC researcher and co-author of the study. “While the world is debating the potential collapse of the AMOC in the North Atlantic, we’re seeing that the SMOC is not just weakening, but has reversed. This could have unprecedented global climate impacts.”

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[–] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I had to look up that last part, as it seemed counter-intuitive, but apparently deep ocean water bottoms out at 4 degrees C.

Right, but I still wouldn't call water that is 4 degrees C as warm. How is deep water warm?

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  • [–] 9 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    That was my physics teacher.

    "So materials shrink as they get colder."

    "Ma'am, doesn't ice expand?"

    "We don't talk about that."

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    I'm not going to claim to fully understand the nuances, but the sea ice will melt at about -2C and glacial melt will deposit ~1C water into the system. If the deep water is steady at 3C or 4C, sending it up could accelerate melting of both.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    Thank you... I'm an idiot and wasn't thinking about the Southern Ocean as in 'The' Southern Ocean... instead I was thinking about it in terms of the oceans in the south (as in, not necessarily glacial). But yes, now I get it and understand. It probably would have helped if I had opened the link to start with.

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