Stirring it up: North Pacific circulation was radically changed by past post-glacial warming

A study in the July 9, 2010, issue of Science identifies changes in oceanic circulation that followed past glacial retreat. The article, titled, "Deep Water Formation in the North Pacific during the Last Glacial Termination" is by Axel Timmermann of the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, and his colleagues. In a video interview, Timmermann summarizes the results of this study, its implications for our understanding of past changes in oceanic circulation, and how the circulation of the North Pacific moderated climate change during glacial retreat. Timmerman says that helping to unlock the mysteries of this period of glacial retreat "helps us understand what drives glacial and interglacial cycles."

The Science study is also discussed in a press release from the University of Hawaii.

Source: National Science Foundation