AMOC collapse could turn Southern Ocean into carbon source, adding 0.2°C to global warming
Why it matters: An AMOC collapse could add 0.2°C to global warming by turning the Southern Ocean into a carbon source.
- AMOC collapse could trigger a substantial release of stored ocean carbon into the atmosphere over hundreds of years.
- Southern Ocean would become a carbon source, releasing previously absorbed CO2.
- Global warming could see an additional 0.2°C increase due to this carbon release.
A new study reveals that a shutdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could transform the Southern Ocean into a carbon source, releasing stored carbon and potentially adding 0.2°C to global warming over centuries. This simulation, conducted under stable climate conditions, highlights a significant feedback loop that could exacerbate climate change independently of initial warming triggers.
