Britain could be shivering though a new Ice Age

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New research suggests ocean circulation in the North Atlantic is now the weakest it is has been in around 1,500 years which could have profound implications on the future climates of North America and Europe. Experts from the Department of Earth Sciences and the Swire Institute of Marine Science at the University of Hong Kong issued their dramatic warning after studying the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) which takes warm surface water toward the Arctic and cold deep water toward the equator.

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The AMOC plays a crucial role in regulating global climate Dr Benoit Thibodeau

The researchers, co-led by Dr Christelle Not and Dr Benoit Thibodeau, said current ocean conditions were similar to those which preceded an extended cold spell between 1600 and 1850 which became known as the Little Ice Age. Winters were bitterly cold and summers were often cool and wet, leading to widespread crop failure, famine and population decline. There were increased levels of social unrest as large portions of the population were reduced to starvation and poverty. Dr Thibodeau said: “The AMOC plays a crucial role in regulating global climate, but scientists are struggling to find reliable indicators of its intensity in the past.

Long cold winters could become the norm, scientists warn

The River Thames was regularly frozen solid during the Little Ice Age

“The discovery of this new record of AMOC will enhance our understanding of its drivers and ultimately help us better comprehend potential near-future change under global warming.” The scientists said the transfer of heat and energy in the North Atlantic had directly influenced the climate in Europe and North American but also impacted on the African and Asian monsoon system through its effect on sea surface temperature and atmospheric circulation. Many climate models predict a weakening or even collapse of the AMOC due to the release of fresh water from Greenland Ice-Sheet. Melted ice has a lower density than seawater and prevents the formation of deep water, slowing down the whole circulation.

The melting Greenland Ice-sheet is causing concern for scientists