Atlantic-Arctic mixing is critical to Earth's climate stability

Earth's climate is intricately linked to the movement of ocean currents, which act as the planet's natural thermostat by regulating temperatures and redistributing heat. Recent scientific findings reveal the significant and often underestimated role of the interaction between Atlantic and Arctic waters in maintaining long-term climate stability through the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC).

This essential ocean system acts as a massive conveyor belt that redistributes warm water from the tropics to northern latitudes and returns cold water to the south, effectively balancing global temperatures. As a result, regions such as northern Europe, including the United Kingdom, have milder climates compared to other locations at similar latitudes.

By examining large-scale ocean data from 1979 to 2021, scientists have gained crucial insight into how these waters mix, interact and drive one of the most important mechanisms for regulating Earth's climate. (Rodielon Putol, more at earth.com)