This table appears in chapter 15 of the Climate Science Special Report: The Fourth National Climate Assessment: Volume I report.

This table is composed of this array :

04c28b5f (17x3)

Candidate Climatic Tipping Element	State Shift	Main impact pathways
Atmosphere-ocean circulation
Atlantic meridional overturning circulation	Major reduction in strength	regional temperature and precipitation; global mean temperature; regional sea level
El Nino-Southern Oscillation	Increase in amplitude	regional temperature and precipitation
Equatorial atmospheric superrotation	Initiation	cloud cover;climate sensitivity
Regional North Atlantic Ocean convection	Major reduction in strength	regional temperature and precipitation
Cryosphere
Antarctic Ice Sheet	Major decrease in ice volume	sea level; albedo; freshwater forcing on ocean circulation
Arctic sea ice	Major decrease in summertime and/or perennial area	regional temperature and precipitation; albedo
Greenland Ice Sheet	Major decrease in ice volume	sea level; albedo; freshwater forcing on ocean circulation
Carbon cycle
Methane hydrates	Massive release of carbon	greenhouse gas emissions
Permafrost carbon	Massive release of carbon	greenhouse gas emissions
Ecosystem
Amazon rainforest	Dieback, transition to grasslands	greenhouse gas emissions; biodiversity
Boreal forest	Dieback, transition to grasslands	greenhouse gas emissions; albedo; biodiversity
Coral reefs	Die-off	biodiversity