Following the last ice age over 10,000 years ago, glacial melting in Greenland and the Arctic decreased the salinity of the northern Atlantic Ocean. Lower salinity caused the water to become less dense and therefore less likely to sink. How might this decrease in salinity have affected the temperature in northwest Europe?

Question

Lauren Mills

Social Studies

20 August, 20:21

Following the last ice age over 10,000 years ago, glacial melting in Greenland and the Arctic decreased the salinity of the northern Atlantic Ocean. Lower salinity caused the water to become less dense and therefore less likely to sink. How might this decrease in salinity have affected the temperature in northwest Europe?

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Answers (2)

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Bradyn Frye · Answer 1

Melting glaciers and icebergs reduce the salinity of the surrounding sea. The seawater also becomes less dense, changing patterns of ocean currents which leads decrease in salinity and this decrease has an effect on the temperature in the northwest Europe by decreasing it temperature because the thermohaline circulation within the Gulf Stream shut down.

Hines · Answer 2

The temperature would have decreased because the thermohaline circulation within the Gulf Stream shut down

Explanation:

The decrease in salinity will result in a decrease in temperature in northwest Europe because the thermohaline circulation within the Gulf Stream shut down.