Kilbourne, K. H., Wanamaker, A. D., Moffa-Sanchez, P., Reynolds, D. J., Amrhein, D. E., Butler, P. G., … Whitney, N. M. (2022). Atlantic circulation change still uncertain. Nature Geoscience, 15, 165-167. doi:10.1038/s41561-022-00896-4
Deep oceanic overturning circulation in the Atlantic (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)) is projected to decrease in the future in response to anthropogenic warming. Caesar et al.1 argue that an AMOC slowdown started in the nineteenth century and intensified during the mid-twenti... Show moreDeep oceanic overturning circulation in the Atlantic (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)) is projected to decrease in the future in response to anthropogenic warming. Caesar et al.1 argue that an AMOC slowdown started in the nineteenth century and intensified during the mid-twentieth century. Although the argument and selected evidence proposed have some merits, we find that their conclusions might be different if a more complete array of data available in the North Atlantic region is considered. We argue that the strength of AMOC over recent centuries is still poorly constrained and the expected slowdown may not have started yet. Show less
