Melting Ice May Weaken the World's Most Powerful Ocean Current

Photo : AFP

Scientists have found that the world's strongest ocean current, which moves around Antarctica, may slow down because of melting ice. This could cause big changes in weather and make the world hotter.

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The study, published on Monday, says that as Antarctica’s ice melts, a huge amount of fresh water goes into the ocean. This can make the Antarctic Circumpolar Current weaker. This current helps keep the world’s weather stable. Scientists in Australia used a very powerful computer to study what might happen in the future.

If people keep using a lot of coal, oil, and gas for the next 25 years, the current may slow down by 20%, the study says. This could lead to more storms, floods, heatwaves, and faster warming of the planet.

Professor Bishakhdatta Gayen from the University of Melbourne, who worked on the study, said that the ocean is very delicate and balanced. If this current becomes weak, the weather may change in many places, and the ocean may not be able to trap as much carbon from the air. This will make the Earth hotter.

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current moves a huge amount of water across the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. It works like a giant belt, helping to keep the temperature of the Earth steady. But when ice melts, fresh water changes the salt levels in the ocean. This makes it harder for cold water to sink and mix with deep water. This mixing is very important for keeping the ocean moving.

Oceans play a big role in controlling the Earth’s temperature. They take in a lot of heat and carbon dioxide from the air. Cold ocean water can absorb more heat, which helps to slow down climate change.

This current also protects Antarctica from foreign sea animals. It acts like a wall, stopping new species from reaching the continent. If the current slows, animals like algae and mollusks may start living there, which could harm the natural balance of life in Antarctica.

Even if the world stops warming after reaching 1.5 degrees Celsius above the old temperatures, the current may still slow down. Scientist Taimoor Sohail, who helped with the research, said that many experts believe the world has already hit this temperature. If it gets even hotter, the ice in Antarctica will melt faster, making the problem worse.

The scientists, who are from Australia, India, and Norway, say that their study is different from some past studies. Some older research suggested that the current was getting faster, but this study shows that it may actually become slower.

Scientists still do not know everything about this part of the ocean, and more research is needed. The study was published in the Environmental Research Letters journal.

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