[Heineken]

Just another nail in the coffin. But a big fat shiny one.

It's pretty obvious the Gulf Stream is going to die in due course.

Quite soon, it will be every man (and woman) for himself.

I'm interested in how today's young people will react as it "gets out" that there's no future for them, or a very bad one. I think we're seeing early signs of that in their unwillingness to work or pursue careers.

Personally and selfishly, I'm rooting on the Gulf Stream collapse. I think it will disrupt the Bermuda High that makes most summers here in Virginia so unbearable. We should get somewhat cooler weather for years, but the impact will be less than in Europe.

[dissident]

Linking climate change science with Hollywood excrement like The Day After Tomorrow only smears the science.

The haline component of the THC does not drive the whole THC. Eddy and turbulence flux generated by the coupling of the atmosphere and the oceans is a primary driver and will not stop because of dilution by fresh water from land ice melt. People go on and on about how Europe will freeze when the Gulf Stream stops.

1) The Gulf Stream is not a haline feature that will disappear because descent of water into the abyss will decline in the Greenland Sea.

2) The Gulf Stream only accounts for about 20% of the sea surface temperature heating to the west of Europe. The rest is due to direct solar energy surface absorption.

Europe will not flash freeze like in the ludicrous inanity called The Day After Tomorrow. The idiot(s) who wrote this rubbish couldn't even be bothered to do some basic research. For example, stratospheric air at under 240 K will not keep this temperature if it is magically pumped to the surface. It will undergo pseudo-adiabatic compression and will warm up. Ideally a parcel of air moved from 40 km to the surface will have a temperature of 800 K. But such ideal transport is not realizable.

The ridiculous concept of "shutdown of the THC" is so much noise detracting from the global warming crisis. Europe will continue to warm up even if the haline component in the north Atlantic shuts down. And here we come to a real problem. Reduction of exchange of the oxygen rich surface waters with the deeper waters is the way that anoxic and chemically reducing state of the oceans will occur. Differential warming of the surface layer acts as a valve that suppresses vertical mixing due to the increase of the thermocline gradient. This warming also increases the biological activity which generates more detritus which then consumes oxygen through decomposition. This decomposition happens en route and not at the seabed. The chemical state of the oceans is determined by biological activity.

[Azothius]

Linking climate change science with Hollywood excrement like The Day After Tomorrow only smears the science.

My apologies. That was not my intent.

[Heineken]

Dissident:

I wish I could share your view that the idea of a collapse or drastic slowdown of the AMOC is "ridiculous." But many scientists in the related fields are expressing strong concerns. And many do point to the thermohaline circulation. Are they ridiculous? Perhaps, but I'm not qualified to say. To me, intuitively, Greenland melting right in its path has to have an effect.

Also, eliminate 20% of the SST heating of Europe (assuming your number is correct) and you end up with a big big change in Europe's climate, not a little one. (Again, I'm guessing there.)

What we've seen all along with global warming is that it keeps getting worse faster than we expected. I'm prepared to believe the worst now. Even more than the worst. (But not the Hollywood version, granted.)

[Newfie]

Fisheries are already in steep decline. Significant changes in circulation patterns are unlikely to make their life easier. Rate of change is important.

When I think of the inertia stored in these currents I wonder how long changes will take. But also that these are rather massive energy absorption and distribution systems. So on the matter I doubt we have a good clue about the total scope of effects.

[GHung]

21st century humans, especially in the US, feel entitled to live life the way they choose; above having to change their behaviors to adapt to conditions. This is what they have been promised. They will look for scapegoats and assign blame rather than question their own behavior. In my neck of the woods, shooting messengers (figuratively) has become quite the sport, and many expect that to become reality. All they need is permission, and they are getting plenty of that from the far right beasties they elect to stroke their egos.
I'm pretty sure humankind will beat Nature to the punch in many places. Even Nature can't fix stupid, even as it disposes of it.

[gollum]

Is there any research on how this would impact the US climate as a whole or specific regions?

[Newfie]

There is a fair bit but I believe the effects are mostly on Europe.

It will also change the fisheries quite a bit.

[theluckycountry]

21st century humans, especially in the US, feel entitled to live life the way they choose; above having to change their behaviors to adapt to conditions.

That used to be the case, now it is the Chinese who are demanding a western lifestyle, just at the time the US is backing away. By flooding the world with cheap garbage they are guaranteeing the last of the earth's resources are frittered away. It's a shame the Japanese are not sitting on the dragon throne, they are much better managers.

[suxs]

GHung-

You appeared just in time to remind me there are still sensible-minded human beings to be found. Keep it coming, my brother from another mother .

[Outcast_Searcher]

21st century humans, especially in the US, feel entitled to live life the way they choose; above having to change their behaviors to adapt to conditions. This is what they have been promised. They will look for scapegoats and assign blame rather than question their own behavior.

Sad, but generally true. Especially re the scapegoating. I find the increasing lack of a sense of personal responsibility to at least TRY to generally do the right thing in the US increasingly alarming. And this is before things like AGW effects get really serious and pervasive (relatively speaking).