The AMOC stayed strong even as a major ocean “lifeline” nearly shut down

This flow, known as Agulhas Leakage, has been considered a major contributor to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which forms part of the global ocean conveyor system. According to the traditional explanation, the added salt encourages the formation of North Atlantic Deep Water, which helps sustain Atlantic overturning. The AMOC can remain strong even when Agulhas Leakage weakens," explains lead author Dr. Suning Hou from Utrecht University. Using these indicators, the researchers produced a detailed reconstruction of possible changes in Agulhas Leakage throughout the late Pliocene. They combined those findings with previously published evidence from the equatorial Atlantic, the North Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea.