A new method allows for quantifying the spatial intermittency of ocean currents

Understanding Atlantic Ocean circulation is key for assessing the global ocean interconnections, in what is known as the "global conveyor belt." This is because the latitudinal ends of the Atlantic, bordering the polar regions, are cold-water formation regions that trigger the onset of the global conveyor belt. Because of their high density, each winter the waters of these polar regions sink and initiate the conveyor belt, thus helping to redistribute heat on a planetary scale, which ultimately influences the climate, especially in Europe.