The following is an image showing how the Gulf Stream transfers heat. Red indicates warmer waters, and blue indicates colder waters The United Kingdom (UK) and much of Europe are situated at approximately 50-60° N latitude. This is the same latitude as parts of Alaska and northern Canada, yet the UK remains much warmer and more temperate than those places. This is because the Gulf Stream, which flows north from the equator in the Atlantic Ocean, brings heat to that part of the world. Currently, ice in the Arctic is melting at an alarming rate, which is diluting the Gulf Stream with freshwater. Use what you know about convection and thermohaline circulation to hypothesize what would happen if too much fresh water enters the Gulf Stream. How would this effect climate in the UK and Europe?
The following is an image showing how the Gulf Stream transfers heat. Red indicates warmer waters, and blue indicates colder waters
The United Kingdom (UK) and much of Europe are situated at approximately 50-60° N latitude. This is the same latitude as parts of Alaska and northern Canada, yet the UK remains much warmer and more temperate than those places. This is because the Gulf Stream, which flows north from the equator in the Atlantic Ocean, brings heat to that part of the world. Currently, ice in the Arctic is melting at an alarming rate, which is diluting the Gulf Stream with freshwater. Use what you know about convection and thermohaline circulation to hypothesize what would happen if too much fresh water enters the Gulf Stream. How would this effect climate in the UK and Europe?
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