num_pages: 176
description: Exploring the link between the ocean's currents and rapid climate changeWally Broecker is one of the world's leading authorities on abrupt global climate change. More than two decades ago he discovered the link between ocean circulation and climate change in particular how shutdowns of the Great Ocean Conveyorthe vast network of currents that circulate water heat and nutrients around the globetriggered past ice ages. Today he is among the researchers exploring how our planet's climate system can abruptly flip-flop from one state to another and who are weighing the implications for the future. In The Great Ocean Conveyor  Broecker introduces readers to the science of abrupt climate change while providing a vivid firsthand account of the field's history and development.Could global warming cause the conveyor to shut down again prompting another flip-flop in climate? What were the repercussions of past climate shifts? How do we know such shifts occurred? Broecker shows how Earth scientists study ancient ice cores and marine sediments to probe Earth's distant past and how they blend scientific detective work with the latest technological advances to try to predict the future. He traces how the science has evolved over the years from the blind alleys and wrong turns to the controversies and breathtaking discoveries. Broecker describes the men and women behind the science and reveals how his own thinking about abrupt climate change has itself flip-flopped as new evidence has emerged.Rich with personal stories and insights The Great Ocean Conveyor opens a tantalizing window onto how Earth science is practiced.
language: English
title: The Great Ocean Conveyor: Discovering the Trigger for Abrupt Climate Change
publisher: Princeton University Press