Pollution affecting ocean circulation

Sydney, Jan 22 (UNI) Rising levels of pollution-- mostly in the northern hemisphere-- have affected worldwide ocean circulation, scientists have found.

Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's (CSIRO) team studying human-generated aerosols found that they caused a cooling of the northern hemisphere's oceans, while those below the equator continue to warm.

This leads to a southward movement in ocean circulation, which may also cause winds and storms to shift poleward, which could affect weather systems, such as cold fronts and rainfall, the scientists said.

''It's the first time we've shown that aerosols can influence southern hemisphere atmospheric circulation on a large scale,'' the Age quoted CSIRO scientist Tim Cowan as saying.

''In a shift of the oceans, you get a shift in the atmosphere as well. You can't take aerosols for granted,'' he added.

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