The world is currently facing the dangers of the ice age due to the possible closure of the Gulf Stream, which works to provide heat to the cold oceans of the Northern Hemisphere. Under the sea, near the equator, the water of the oceans gets heated and flows northward in the form of currents. The Gulf Stream cools it down and releases heat after going north to the Atlantic Ocean. Scientists believe that the melting glaciers are going to close the Gulf Streams. Without this additional heat source, the average temperature is expected to drop several degrees in North America, parts of Asia and Europe. It can have severe consequences around the world.
The present conditions can be well-remembered by the fans of the Hollywood film The Day After Tomorrow. It was released in 2004. The story of the movie revolved around the dawn of the Ice Age on Earth due to the international storm. Though the blockbuster movie aligned itself with imaginary ideas and scenes, the premise of the movie can become a possible truth for Earth. The scientists warn of the closure of Atlantic Ocean currents.
A ‘cliff-like’ tipping point has been observed in recent times, which now rings the warning bells for the incoming ice age era. The researchers at Utrecht University in the Netherlands have not said when the collapse will happen, but if a previous study is to be believed, the possible collapse could happen next year. “We are moving closer to the collapse, but we’re not sure how much closer,” said lead author Rene van Westen, a climate scientist and oceanographer at Utrecht University. They also said that it depends on the rate of climate change humans are inducing in today’s time.
The Gulf Stream is a part of much wider currents called Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulations (AMOC). It is described as the conveyor belt of the ocean, which transports warm water to the northern hemisphere. The warm water releases the heat after reaching the North Atlantic. It then freezes, leaving salt in the ocean water. However, prior studies have shown that, due to climate change, the AMOC is slowing down. The closure of the Gulf Stream can be a big factor in the formation of the ice age.
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