Antarctic ocean currents headed for collapse, driving 'mass slowdown' in water circulation

rapid melting of Antarctic ice poses a threat to halt deep ocean currents, which would have a negative impact on climate, movement of fresh water and oxygen, as well as nutrients necessary for life, for centuries, as per claims from scientific community, reported by DW. 

Deep ocean currents surrounding Antarctica may slow by more than 40% over course of next 30 years, according to a recent study that was published in journal Nature on Wednesday. According to study, in a high-emission scenario, "overturning circulation" of ocean's deep waters will reduce by 40% by 2050, with consequences lasting "for generations to come."

'Substantial slowdown' of water circulation in deepest ocean basins

If global carbon emissions continue to be high, new modelling used in paper revealed that rapid Antarctic ice melts will cause a "substantial slowdown" of water circulation in deepest ocean basins.

If model is accurate, Matw England, a climate professor at University of New South Wales (UNSW), who oversaw study, said deep ocean circulation will be "on a trajectory that appears headed towards collapse."

Every year, trillions of tonnes of water sink around Antarctica, carrying with it a deep-water current that flows rthward into Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic seas. When more ice melts, density and salinity of Antarctic waters decrease, delaying deep-ocean circulation.

study claims that future change is still uncertain since dynamic ice-sheet melt is t taken into consideration in most recent coordinated climate model estimates.

Oceans beneath 4,000 metres would become stagnant if this deep ocean movement stopped. As a result, re would be fewer nutrients available to support marine species close to ocean surface.

"This would trap nutrients in deep ocean, reducing nutrients available to support marine life near ocean surface," as per England. 

study also predicted that as globe warms, melting of Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets will continue to speed up. England stated, "We are talking about possible long-term extinction of an iconic water mass.