Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Ocean conveyor-belt model stirred up

Nature (2010)Cite this article

Subjects

Analysis of temperature and salinity shakes view of global water flow.

As tropical water from the Equator flows north in the Atlantic Ocean, it becomes cooler and denser. Evaporation along the way makes it saltier and further increases its density. In the frigid Arctic, the water sinks into the depths and then moves southward; returning to the surface once it has warmed up again.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Lozier, M. S., Roussenov, V., Reed, M. S. C. & Williams, R. G. Nature Geosci. doi:10.1038/ngeo947 (2010).

  2. Cunnigham, S. A. et al. Science 317, 935-938 (2007).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Adam Mann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Related links

Related links

Related links in Nature Research

Nature Climate Change

Earth sciences@nature.com

Related external links

Rapid Climate Change mooring array website

National Oceanography Centre, Southampton

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mann, A. Ocean conveyor-belt model stirred up. Nature (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/news.2010.461

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/news.2010.461

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing