Didier Swingedouw
CNRS-EPOC, Université de Bordeaux
https://www.epoc.u-bordeaux.fr/indiv/Didier/public_html/index.html

” Is the “day after” for tomorrow? Tales from the Gulf Stream “

The ocean is playing a crucial role for the climate of the Earth. Its circulation is redistributing huge amount of heat mainly from the equator towards the poles. Nevertheless, the fact that the Earth is rotating, and also that the salinity is affecting density in the ocean is leading to complex and non-linear behavior of the large-scale circulation of the oceans. In this seminar, we will explore the main theories and observations surrounding the ocean circulation, with a particular focus on the North Atlantic and the Gulf Stream current and its north-eastward extension. We will end the seminar by providing insights on what is known and unknown concerning the future behavior of the North Atlantic circulation and its potential impacts on climate, as well as the avenues of research for making progress in its understanding.