Arctic ice loss could lead to harsher winters and stormier weather in Europe because of its impact on Atlantic Ocean currents, warn researchers.The research, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, found that a decline in sea ice cover caused by global warming could weaken the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) — a large-scale ocean circulation system that affects climate.
AMOC is responsible for transporting heat from low to high latitudes. It has a lower limb of dense, cold water that flows south from the North Atlantic, and an upper limb of warm, salty water that flows north from the South Atlantic as part of the Gulf Stream.
The authors found that the system — which plays a major role in the climate of Atlantic rim countries, particularly those in Europe -- could lose up to 50 per cent of its strength, leading to a cooling of the ocean surface in parts of the North Atlantic.