How does ocean mixing impact carbon fluxes?
Best insight from top research papers
Ocean mixing has a significant impact on carbon fluxes. Altered mixing can cause up to a 40% change in air-sea fluxes of carbon in the Southern Ocean (SO) over a few years, affecting the distribution of dissolved inorganic carbon, alkalinity, temperature, and salinity . Increasing mixing rates in the SO can enhance biomass by altering key biogeochemical and physical parameters, such as the surface supply of iron, which is responsible for biomass increases in most areas . Changes in vertical mixing can also affect the storage associated with the biological and solubility pumps, decreasing remineralized carbon storage in the deep ocean and warming the ocean as a whole . Artificially enhanced vertical mixing can increase the amount of organic carbon exported from surface waters, but it can also lead to an overall increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations . These findings highlight the importance of accurately representing vertical mixing in climate models to understand and predict carbon fluxes in the ocean .
Answers from top 5 papers
More filters
| Papers (5) | Insight |
|---|---|
33 Citations | The paper discusses the impact of artificially enhanced vertical mixing on carbon fluxes in the ocean. It states that the mixing of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) is the dominant effect on atmospheric CO2 increase, while the mixing of alkalinity and biological production also play a role. |
| The paper does not directly address how ocean mixing impacts carbon fluxes. | |
01 Mar 2023 | The paper shows that ocean mixing directly affects tracers such as DIC, alkalinity, temperature, and salinity, leading to significant changes in surface ocean carbon fluxes. |
| The paper states that changes in ocean mixing impact carbon fluxes by affecting the efficiency of both the solubility and biological pumps, resulting in changes in the inventories of carbon within the ocean. | |
| The paper states that altered mixing in the Southern Ocean can cause up to a 40% change in air-sea carbon fluxes by altering the distribution of dissolved inorganic carbon, alkalinity, temperature, and salinity. |
Related Questions
How does climate change impact ocean acidification?5 answersClimate change, characterized by rising temperatures and increasing CO2 concentrations, significantly impacts ocean acidification. The rise in atmospheric CO2 levels leads to a decrease in seawater pH, termed Ocean Acidification (OA), affecting marine ecosystems. Studies show that low pH conditions reduce freeze tolerance in Mytilus spp., potentially offsetting poleward range expansions facilitated by warming. This interaction between ocean acidification and freeze stress can result in decreased survival rates and distribution shifts in marine species. Furthermore, the acidification of oceans due to climate change poses challenges for bivalve mollusks' reproduction and growth, impacting aquaculture production. In the future, with projected CO2 levels exceeding historical records, global warming and ocean acidification will continue to be major concerns for marine organisms.
What is the role of carbon sequestration in the ocean?4 answersCarbon sequestration in the ocean plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change by storing carbon dioxide (CO2) and preventing its release into the atmosphere. The ocean has the capacity to store a significant amount of carbon, much more than the atmosphere. Various strategies have been proposed to enhance carbon sequestration in the ocean, including injecting CO2 or organic carbon into the ocean interior and enhancing the ocean's biological pump. However, the permanence of sequestration depends on factors such as ocean currents, which can eventually return the injected CO2 back to the surface. The sequestration times for injected CO2 can vary greatly, with deeper discharge locations generally sequestering CO2 for longer periods. Seaweeds have been suggested as a potential means of increasing carbon sequestration in the ocean, but verifying their effectiveness is complex due to the need to consider carbon flows between the atmosphere and ocean, seaweed biomass turnover, and atmosphere-ocean CO2 exchange. Overall, carbon sequestration in the ocean is an important mechanism for reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere and mitigating climate change.
How does ocean acidification influence coral reef?5 answersOcean acidification has varying effects on coral reefs. Some studies suggest that end-of-century ocean acidification levels have negligible effects on important behaviors of coral reef fishes, such as predator avoidance and fish activity levels. However, other studies show that ocean acidification can lead to a decrease in net community calcification and nighttime net community calcification in coral reef ecosystems. Additionally, ocean acidification combined with warming can negatively impact the fertilization success, larval survivorship, and larval settlement of coral species, potentially jeopardizing the resilience of Caribbean reefs. Furthermore, ocean acidification has been found to cause a decline in the skeletal density of massive Porites corals on the Great Barrier Reef and the South China Sea, reflecting enhanced acidification of reef water. The decline in mean aragonite saturation state associated with ocean acidification can also lead to declines in crustose coralline algae and coral juvenile densities, while promoting the growth of non-calcifying macroalgae.
Ways to absorption CO2 in the ocean?5 answersThere are several ways to absorb CO2 in the ocean. One approach is to increase the alkalinity of the ocean's surface water, which can enhance the ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide without disrupting the chemistry and life in the ocean. Another method involves using inorganic nutrient salts to promote the growth of phytoplankton, which can reduce CO2 in the surface layer water and fix CO2 from the air. Additionally, dry ionic liquids (D-ILs) and dry matter (DM) have shown promise in accelerating CO2 absorption at the gas-liquid interface. Other techniques include rock-based ocean alkalinity enhancement, electrochemical ocean alkalinity enhancement, ocean fertilization, artificial upwelling and downwelling, and seaweed cultivation, each with their own potential to sequester carbon dioxide and associated benefits and risks.
How much co2 the oceans take from the atmosphere?5 answersThe oceans take up and store a significant amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. The processes involved in this uptake, such as turbulent mixing of ocean water, play a crucial role in determining the amount of CO2 absorbed by the oceans. The exchange of CO2 between the atmosphere and the oceans is influenced by factors such as the mixing of ocean water and the oxidation of organic carbon. The distribution of total inorganic carbon (TIC) in the oceans is correlated with the concentration of silicic acid in deep water, indicating a stoichiometric relationship between carbon and silicon. However, the exact amount of CO2 that the oceans take from the atmosphere is still not fully understood and requires further research.
How can we unlock the carbon stored in the oceans?5 answersThe carbon stored in the oceans can be unlocked through various methods. One approach is ocean carbon capture and storage (ocean CCS), which involves capturing and storing carbon dioxide from waste gas emitted by marine facilities consuming fossil energy. This can be achieved through scrubbing the waste gas and injecting the seawater, in which carbon dioxide is dissolved, into different zones of the ocean for carbon storage. Another method is through the production of tiny organic molecules, which has been identified as a major pathway for carbon sequestration in the ocean. Additionally, options such as direct injection and dissolution, ocean bottom storage, and biological sequestration can be employed to store carbon dioxide in the ocean. Deliberate changes in alkalinity and ocean nourishment are also strategies that can increase carbon dioxide uptake by the ocean.