Facts about Ocean Thermohaline Circulation
- 05
Saltier, denser water sinking in the Atlantic drives ocean thermohaline circulation, making it a critical mechanism for redistributing heat between the tropics and polar regions.
- 04
Ocean thermohaline circulation moves water through a global conveyor belt pathway estimated to take roughly 1,000 years to complete a full cycle.
- 03
Disruption of ocean thermohaline circulation is linked to abrupt climate shifts in Earth's past, including the Younger Dryas cold period roughly 12,000 years ago.
- 02
Deep water formation, a key process in ocean thermohaline circulation, occurs primarily in the North Atlantic and around Antarctica where cold, dense water sinks to the ocean floor.
- 01
The ocean thermohaline circulation is driven by differences in water density caused by variations in temperature and salinity across the world's oceans.