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The role of the thermohaline circulation in abrupt climate change

Author

Listed:
  • Peter U. Clark

    (Oregon State University)

  • Nicklas G. Pisias

    (College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University)

  • Thomas F. Stocker

    (Climate and Environmental Physics, University of Bern, Physics Institute)

  • Andrew J. Weaver

    (School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria)

Abstract

The possibility of a reduced Atlantic thermohaline circulation in response to increases in greenhouse-gas concentrations has been demonstrated in a number of simulations with general circulation models of the coupled ocean–atmosphere system. But it remains difficult to assess the likelihood of future changes in the thermohaline circulation, mainly owing to poorly constrained model parameterizations and uncertainties in the response of the climate system to greenhouse warming. Analyses of past abrupt climate changes help to solve these problems. Data and models both suggest that abrupt climate change during the last glaciation originated through changes in the Atlantic thermohaline circulation in response to small changes in the hydrological cycle. Atmospheric and oceanic responses to these changes were then transmitted globally through a number of feedbacks. The palaeoclimate data and the model results also indicate that the stability of the thermohaline circulation depends on the mean climate state.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter U. Clark & Nicklas G. Pisias & Thomas F. Stocker & Andrew J. Weaver, 2002. "The role of the thermohaline circulation in abrupt climate change," Nature, Nature, vol. 415(6874), pages 863-869, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:415:y:2002:i:6874:d:10.1038_415863a
    DOI: 10.1038/415863a
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    Cited by:

    1. Elizabeth Kopits & Alex L. Marten & Ann Wolverton, 2013. "Moving Forward with Incorporating "Catastrophic" Climate Change into Policy Analysis," NCEE Working Paper Series 201301, National Center for Environmental Economics, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, revised Jan 2013.
    2. Anders Levermann & Jonathan Bamber & Sybren Drijfhout & Andrey Ganopolski & Winfried Haeberli & Neil Harris & Matthias Huss & Kirstin Krüger & Timothy Lenton & Ronald Lindsay & Dirk Notz & Peter Wadha, 2012. "Potential climatic transitions with profound impact on Europe," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 845-878, February.
    3. Ashantha Goonetilleke & Tan Yigitcanlar & Godwin A. Ayoko & Prasanna Egodawatta, 2014. "Sustainable Urban Water Environment," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14894.
    4. Barfuss, Wolfram & Donges, Jonathan & Bethge, Matthias, 2024. "Ecologically-mediated collective action in commons with tipping elements," OSF Preprints 7pcnm, Center for Open Science.
    5. Priyesh Prabhat & Waliur Rahaman & Nambiyathodi Lathika & Mohd Tarique & Ravi Mishra & Meloth Thamban, 2022. "Modern-like deep water circulation in Indian Ocean caused by Central American Seaway closure," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.

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