Arctic Ocean freshwater will cause 'unpredictable changes on climate'
Scientists have analyzed that the expansion of the Arctic Ocean will cause dramatic changes in North American and European climates. Right now, the water is twice the volume of Lake Victoria in Africa, is continuing to grow. Soon, the water could overflow and cause some of it to flow into the Atlantic Ocean. According to Benjamin Rabe of the Alfred Wengener Institute, "this could have an influence on ocean circulation." Right now, the freshwater is basically a lid that prevents the warm, salty water from melting the ice. As the atmospheric circulation patterns shift, more ice will melt and the water will pour into the Atlantic. If the ice is thinner, then it can exit the Arctic easier. Possibly, these overflows could change the densities of the surface waters in the North Atlantic. The influx of cold freshwater could slow the deep ocean and wind driven currents which carry heat from the tropics. Europe could cool down as a result of the circulations.
I find it interesting how the ocean flow can altar the climate in different places. This discovery is important for the scientific community to know about. More scientists should go to research the Arctic Ocean as well as the climate change in Europe in order to draw the connection between the two. Currently, climate studies is a popular field because of global warming, and this issue should be fully studied. Unfortunately, scientists still cannot predict when the major influxes will hit, or how devastating the climate changes are. If the climate drastically changes, then the native organisms living in Europe could fail to adapt and eventually become extinct. Scientists should keep researching to find a solution for this pending situation.
Citations:
Harvey, Fiona. "Arctic Ocean freshwater will cause 'unpredictable changes on
climate.'" Environmental Research Web. N.p., 6 Apr. 2011. Web. 8 Apr. 2011.
<http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/45625>.
climate.'" Environmental Research Web. N.p., 6 Apr. 2011. Web. 8 Apr. 2011.
<http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/45625>.
Gosselin, Laura. The Arctic Ocean is Awakening. N.d. The Sustainability Ninja.
N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2011. <http://www.sustainabilityninja.com/
eco-news/the-arctic-ocean-is-awakening-82028/>.
N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2011. <http://www.sustainabilityninja.com/
eco-news/the-arctic-ocean-is-awakening-82028/>.
