Abstract A two‐phase recovery of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is revealed following the abrupt cessation of freshwater forcing (FWF) input at the end of the Younger Dryas in the TraCE‐21K‐II simulation. This staged AMOC reactivation is attributed to changes in sea surface salinity (SSS) pattern in the North Atlantic Ocean. The first recovery phase is mainly due to the termination of FWF; however, the increasing SSS through hemispheric‐scale northward transport of salty water is partially suppressed by melting water from high‐latitude regions, resulting in a subsequent oscillation in the AMOC strength. The second recovery phase is primarily linked to the sea ice retreat in the Greenland–Iceland–Norwegian Seas, which reinitiates the SSS transport through the Norwegian Current. Exploring such model characteristics in simulating the surface oceanic processes may improve our understanding of the AMOC’s response to FWF.
Observations from the Little Bunker
Last updated: October 16, 2025 04:11 AM
Atmospheric CO₂
424.4 ppm
+18.2
ppm/year
Atmospheric CH₄
1933.54 ppb
+12.29
ppb/year
Global Temperature
+1.48 °C
Peak: +1.73°C
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8.1 billion
+67
million/year