Thermohaline Circulation, the Achilles Heel of Our Climate System: Will Man-Made CO 2 Upset the Current Balance?
10.1126/science.278.5343.1582
Crossref journal-article
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Science (221)
Abstract

During the last glacial period, Earth's climate underwent frequent large and abrupt global changes. This behavior appears to reflect the ability of the ocean's thermohaline circulation to assume more than one mode of operation. The record in ancient sedimentary rocks suggests that similar abrupt changes plagued the Earth at other times. The trigger mechanism for these reorganizations may have been the antiphasing of polar insolation associated with orbital cycles. Were the ongoing increase in atmospheric CO 2 levels to trigger another such reorganization, it would be bad news for a world striving to feed 11 to 16 billion people.

Bibliography

Broecker, W. S. (1997). Thermohaline Circulation, the Achilles Heel of Our Climate System: Will Man-Made CO 2 Upset the Current Balance? Science, 278(5343), 1582–1588.

Authors 1
  1. Wallace S. Broecker (first)
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Dates
Type When
Created 23 years, 1 month ago (July 27, 2002, 5:50 a.m.)
Deposited 1 year, 7 months ago (Jan. 12, 2024, 11:48 p.m.)
Indexed 4 days, 10 hours ago (Aug. 23, 2025, 12:59 a.m.)
Issued 27 years, 8 months ago (Nov. 28, 1997)
Published 27 years, 8 months ago (Nov. 28, 1997)
Published Print 27 years, 8 months ago (Nov. 28, 1997)
Funders 0

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@article{Broecker_1997, title={Thermohaline Circulation, the Achilles Heel of Our Climate System: Will Man-Made CO 2 Upset the Current Balance?}, volume={278}, ISSN={1095-9203}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.278.5343.1582}, DOI={10.1126/science.278.5343.1582}, number={5343}, journal={Science}, publisher={American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}, author={Broecker, Wallace S.}, year={1997}, month=nov, pages={1582–1588} }