From one of the recent scientific studies, it emerges that the Gulf Stream, a crucial ocean current that plays a significant role in regulating the global climate and sea levels, is experiencing a slowdown. The study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, indicates that the flow of warm water through the Florida Strait has decreased by 4% over the past forty years. Such a slowdown has far-reaching consequences for our planet's climate and may impact global weather conditions and sea levels.

The Gulf Stream is an integral part of the thermohaline circulation system, also known as the global conveyor belt of ocean currents. It functions as a global heat, nutrient, oxygen, and carbon transport system, providing a moderate climate and stabilizing sea levels. Its route begins near Florida, where it flows along the eastern coast of the United States and Canada, crosses the Atlantic, and reaches Europe.

Dr. Christopher Piecuch, a physical oceanographer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the lead author of the study, emphasizes that this is the most robust evidence to date of the weakening of this important ocean current. However, determining whether the slowdown is a result of climate change still poses a challenge.

The mechanism of the Gulf Stream starts in the Caribbean. Warm waters from southern regions flow north, where they cool and sink into the North Atlantic. After transferring heat to the atmosphere, the water slowly moves south, where it warms up again, continuing the cyclical process. This action plays a crucial role in regulating the temperature and sea level along the eastern part of the USA.

As global warming causes the melting of ice caps, large amounts of cold, fresh water are released into the oceans. Scientists suspect that this influx may disrupt the functioning of the Gulf Stream, slowing its operation or even leading to its collapse. Demonstrating a direct link between these two phenomena is complex due to the intricate nature of the system.

To analyze the slowdown of the Gulf Stream, data from three different sources accumulated over 40 years were used, including undersea cables, satellite altimeters, and direct observations. The analysis of this data revealed a 4% decrease in flow speed, with a very low likelihood that these results are random.

Helen Chersky, an oceanographer from University College London, compares this phenomenon to the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, noting potentially severe long-term consequences of such a slowdown. It is now crucial to distinguish between natural variability and the effects of global warming concerning the Gulf Stream slowdown, which is challenging due to the relatively short period of direct measurements.

In the context of this study, the observed slowdown of the Gulf Stream raises important questions about the future of the global climate and sea levels. While the causes of this phenomenon are still under investigation, there is agreement that it is a significant event requiring further attention and analysis.