Global Warming Could Trigger Cascade Of Climatic Changes
Originally from Oregon State University
CORVALLIS, Ore. - "Global warming and the partial melting of polar ice sheets can dramatically affect not only sea levels but also Earth's climate, in ways that may be complex, rapid and difficult to adjust to, scientists say in a new study to be published Friday in the journal Science.
Sea level and climatic changes in Earth's distant past, near the end of the last Ice Age about 14,600 years ago, offer significant clues to some phenomena that Earth may experience in the near future, possibly in coming decades or centuries, the study found.
EDIT
About a year ago, (ed. - geologist Dr. Peter) Clark and his colleagues outlined in a publication in Nature how one of the unanticipated outcomes of global warming could be disruption of a 'themrmohaline circulation' pattern in currents of the North Atlantic Ocean, robbing Europe of the influence of warm ocean currents and causing widespread cooling. This could happen when additional rainfall or melting glaciers in the Northern Hemisphere inject more fresh water into the North Atlantic and make the ocean leass salty.
Scientists now believe this current may have slowed or stopped altogether many times in Earth's past. The shutdown of this current was one promient feature of the last Ice Age.
In the new study, the researchers found that an Antarctic melting event called 'Meltwater Pulse 1A', which occurred near the end of the last Ice Age about 14,600 years ago, raised Earth's sea levels about 70 feet in less than 500 years. The melting event simultaneously caused the North Atlantic circulation to turn on, causing widespread warming of the Northern Hemisphere.
EDIT
'Global warming might cause a shutdown of currents in the North Atlantic and cause Europe to cool,' (Clark) said. 'But just as people are trying to adjust to that event, the same warming might also help melt an Antarctic ice sheet which would tend to start the current in the North Atlantic moving again. And that might be considered a good thing, unless you live ina coastal area which is now going to be flooded by rising sea levels.'"
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 071607.htm