Thermohaline Circulation and Global Warming

As sea ice forms the salt water around it becomes both more saline (saltier) and consequently more dense. This in turn causes it to sink due to gravity. This runs the thermohaline circulation of the world's oceans. Where does this heavier water sink? The North Atlantic Ocean. As I said, this occurs as sea ice is forming.

So, what happens as both sea ice and land bound glacier ice melts? Simple. The ocean water decreases in salinity and density. It sinks more and more slowly as newly melted freshwater flows into the ocean. This also slows and may even stop altogether the thermohaline circulation. Whether it actually reverses entirely is a more extreme situation which is possible and unclear in its implications. Very likely this also forces the location of the sinking saltier water to shift away from the inflowing freshwater.

What can we expect from the slowing and stoppage of this thermohaline circulation? It will obviously alter this circulation of the ocean waters - at least the salt content. Desalination is also a consequence of this influx of freshwater. Harvesting of glacial ice and locating it into man-made reservoirs would have helped ease this problem and likely many others as well. But it seems that those who could most benefit from such a solution are more interested in other matters. I guess the global warming and its after effects is going to be a really big learning experience for us worldwide.