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How climate changes rapidly at tipping points

Jun 21, 2017
A new study shows that gradual changes in the concentration of atmospheric CO2 can trigger abrupt climate variation
Clouds above the Russell glacier. Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Coen Hofstede
Clouds above the Russell glacier. Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Coen Hofstede

During the last glacial period, the influence of atmospheric CO2 on the North Atlantic Current caused a temperature increase of up to 10 degrees Celsius in Greenland within a period of just a few decades. This is demonstrated by new climate calculations made by scientists from the Alfred Wegener Institute, from MARUM at the University of Bremen, and from Cardiff University. This proves for the first time that there have been situations during Earth’s recent history when gradually rising CO2 concentrations have triggered abrupt changes in ocean circulation and climate at so-called tipping points. These abrupt transitions were identified in Greenland ice cores and are known as Dansgaard-Oeschger Events. The results of this study have been published in the professional journal Nature Geosciences.