Water heats up in the caribean and rises to the surface. It flows acros the atlantic ocean to the west and starts heading north. Most of this warm water cools and sinks as it reaches the Arctic Ocean east of Greenland and Iceland. The colder, deeper water flows back south. This circulation pattern is influenced by sea ice drifting out from the central Arctic. Although the amount of sea ice varies with the season, it has a stabilizing effect on the ocean currents. A major decrease in sea ice could have a significant impact on this balance. Back to main page