India, April 13 -- The complete collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could lead to the release of large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, particularly from the Southern Ocean, turning it from a carbon sink into a source, according to a recent research paper published in the journal Nature Communications Earth and Environment.

This additional carbon dioxide (CO₂) could contribute up to 0.2 degrees Celsius (degC) of extra global warming. However, the regional impacts would vary sharply, with cooling of up to 7degC in the Arctic and warming of up to 6degC in parts of Antarctica.

A system nearing its tipping point

A separate study published in the journal Science Advances suggested that the AMOC may...