Early-onset of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation weakening in response to atmospheric CO2 concentration
Abstract The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a tipping component of the climate system, is projected to slowdown during the 21st century in response to increased atmospheric CO2 concentration. The rate and start of the weakening are associated with relatively large uncertainties....
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2021-04-01
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| Series: | npj Climate and Atmospheric Science |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-021-00182-x |
| _version_ | 1818570419670614016 |
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| author | Mihai Dima Denis R. Nichita Gerrit Lohmann Monica Ionita Mirela Voiculescu |
| author_facet | Mihai Dima Denis R. Nichita Gerrit Lohmann Monica Ionita Mirela Voiculescu |
| author_sort | Mihai Dima |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a tipping component of the climate system, is projected to slowdown during the 21st century in response to increased atmospheric CO2 concentration. The rate and start of the weakening are associated with relatively large uncertainties. Observed sea surface temperature-based reconstructions indicate that AMOC has been weakening since the mid-20th century, but its forcing factors are not fully understood. Here we provide dynamical observational evidence that the increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration affects the North Atlantic heat fluxes and precipitation rate, and weakens AMOC, consistent with numerical simulations. The inferred weakening, starting in the late 19th century, earlier than previously suggested, is estimated at 3.7 ± 1.0 Sv over the 1854–2016 period, which is larger than it is shown in numerical simulations (1.4 ± 1.4 Sv). |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T13:41:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-597726d43173465fa35e30cd19e4ba22 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2397-3722 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T13:41:02Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Climate and Atmospheric Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-597726d43173465fa35e30cd19e4ba222022-12-21T22:59:27ZengNature Portfolionpj Climate and Atmospheric Science2397-37222021-04-01411810.1038/s41612-021-00182-xEarly-onset of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation weakening in response to atmospheric CO2 concentrationMihai Dima0Denis R. Nichita1Gerrit Lohmann2Monica Ionita3Mirela Voiculescu4University of Bucharest, Faculty of PhysicsUniversity of Bucharest, Faculty of PhysicsAlfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine ResearchAlfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine ResearchUniversity “Dunărea de Jos”Abstract The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a tipping component of the climate system, is projected to slowdown during the 21st century in response to increased atmospheric CO2 concentration. The rate and start of the weakening are associated with relatively large uncertainties. Observed sea surface temperature-based reconstructions indicate that AMOC has been weakening since the mid-20th century, but its forcing factors are not fully understood. Here we provide dynamical observational evidence that the increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration affects the North Atlantic heat fluxes and precipitation rate, and weakens AMOC, consistent with numerical simulations. The inferred weakening, starting in the late 19th century, earlier than previously suggested, is estimated at 3.7 ± 1.0 Sv over the 1854–2016 period, which is larger than it is shown in numerical simulations (1.4 ± 1.4 Sv).https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-021-00182-x |
| spellingShingle | Mihai Dima Denis R. Nichita Gerrit Lohmann Monica Ionita Mirela Voiculescu Early-onset of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation weakening in response to atmospheric CO2 concentration npj Climate and Atmospheric Science |
| title | Early-onset of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation weakening in response to atmospheric CO2 concentration |
| title_full | Early-onset of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation weakening in response to atmospheric CO2 concentration |
| title_fullStr | Early-onset of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation weakening in response to atmospheric CO2 concentration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early-onset of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation weakening in response to atmospheric CO2 concentration |
| title_short | Early-onset of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation weakening in response to atmospheric CO2 concentration |
| title_sort | early onset of atlantic meridional overturning circulation weakening in response to atmospheric co2 concentration |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-021-00182-x |
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