Gulf Stream

Group 4 Project Conclusion

After the completion of the group 4 project and the re-examination of our findings I along with my group conclude that the Gulf Stream has a dramatic heating effect on northwestern Europe, if the colder portion of the gulf stream got warmer then the gulf stream would stop, if the Gulf Stream stops then there would be an effect on Europe that is similar to a mini-Ice age.

We have concluded that the Gulf Stream has a dramatic heating effect on northwestern Europe because there are countries on the same latitude as northwestern Europe that have much colder climates. Central Canada and northwestern Europe both have warmer climates as a result of the Gulf Stream current, but countries such as southern Russia, Eastern Russia, Southern Alaska, and Northern Alaska have relatively colder climates. This should not be the case because countries on the same latitude as northwestern Europe receive about the same amount of sunlight year round, but the effect of the Gulf Stream warms up northwestern Europe.

We have also concluded that if the colder portion of the Gulf Stream got warmer then the Gulf Stream would stop, because of the principle of convection currents. The way the Gulf Stream works is that the cold current sinks and the warm current rises, this cycle creates convection currents and gives of heat to places like northwestern Europe. If the colder portion got colder, then the cold current would not sink and there would be no convection current. If there would be not convection current, places like northwestern Europe would not receive heat from the Gulf Stream current.

We have arrived at our third conclusion, if the Gulf Stream stops then there would be an effect on Europe that is similar to a mini-Ice age, because of a combination of the principles of convection currents and the climates of countries on the same latitude as northwestern Europe. If the cold Gulf Stream currents get colder and the convection currents in the...