Deep North Atlantic Ocean Plays Key Role in Climate Stabilization, Study Finds

• A recent study led by WHOI and UCL shows the deep ocean in the North Atlantic has crucially reduced climate swings over the past 1,000 years.

• The research indicates that the deep ocean has consistently transferred surface climate changes, preventing them from becoming significantly worse.

• The deep ocean cooled during the Medieval Climate Anomaly and gave heat back to the atmosphere during the Little Ice Age.

• The study highlights the ocean's important role in mitigating global warming by absorbing and storing excess heat.

• The research provides valuable data on deep ocean temperature and reduces reliance on climate models.

• Concerns have been raised about the potential slowdown of the Atlantic Meridional Ocean Circulation (AMOC), which could affect future heat transfer and storage.

• The study was funded by the National Science Foundation, the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation Fund, and the WHOI Postdoctoral Scholar Program.