Hot and cold."Warming climate will slow ocean circulation" (SN: 2/4/06, p. 77) makes me wonder, Does continental drift continental drift, geological theory that the relative positions of the continents on the earth's surface have changed considerably through geologic time. Though first proposed by American geologist Frank Bursley Taylor in a lecture in 1908, the first detailed theory cause occasional changes to the ocean's currents? Would major reorganizations of ocean currents tend to cause ice ages by temporarily disrupting the flow of warm water that normally keeps the ice at bay? Would simulations of past continental positions indicate when reorganizations would have occurred? MATT HENRY, WHITTIER, CALIF. Computer simulations suggest that continental drift can indeed affect ocean circulation. Analyses suggest that as a result of changes in ocean circulation, the present-day climate of the North Atlantic Ocean North Atlantic Ocean The northern part of the Atlantic Ocean, extending northward from the equator to the Arctic Ocean. is significantly warmer and that the Southern Hemisphere is generally cooler than they were before North and South America South America, fourth largest continent (1991 est. pop. 299,150,000), c.6,880,000 sq mi (17,819,000 sq km), the southern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. were joined by the Isthmus of Panama Noun 1. Isthmus of Panama - the isthmus that connects Central America and South America; was formerly called the Isthmus of Darien; "Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Darien" Isthmus of Darien about 3 million years ago. |
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