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Unraveling the Unseen Players in the Ocean - A Field Guide to Water Chemistry and Marine Microbiology
Published on: November 5, 2014
Anthropogenic CO2 uptake by the ocean based on the global chlorofluorocarbon data set
Ben I McNeil1, Richard J Matear, Robert M Key
1Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Program, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|January 11, 2003
Summary
The ocean absorbed significant amounts of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), storing 14.8 and 17.9 petagrams between 1980-1989 and 1990-1999, respectively. This indicates a higher CO2 uptake than many ocean models predict.
Area of Science:
- Oceanography
- Climate Science
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- Anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions significantly impact global carbon cycles.
- Accurate estimation of oceanic CO2 uptake is crucial for understanding climate change.
- Previous methods for quantifying oceanic CO2 inventory have limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the oceanic inventory of anthropogenic CO2 from 1980 to 1999.
- To determine the decadal oceanic net uptake of anthropogenic carbon.
- To compare estimated oceanic CO2 uptake with predictions from ocean general circulation models.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a technique based on the global chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) dataset.
- Analyzed carbon storage in the ocean over two distinct decadal periods.
- Calculated the annual net uptake of carbon dioxide by the ocean.
Main Results:
- The ocean stored 14.8 petagrams of anthropogenic carbon from mid-1980 to mid-1989.
- The ocean stored 17.9 petagrams of anthropogenic carbon from mid-1990 to mid-1999.
- Oceanwide net uptake rates were estimated at 1.6 and 2.0 +/- 0.4 petagrams of carbon per year for the respective decades.
Conclusions:
- The study provides an upper limit for the solubility-driven anthropogenic CO2 flux into the ocean.
- Results suggest that many ocean general circulation models overestimate oceanic anthropogenic CO2 uptake.
- This research refines our understanding of the ocean's role in mitigating atmospheric CO2 levels.
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