How Southern Ocean Intermediate Waters Regulate Global CO2 Levels

asiaresearchnews.com

by policy_loop_31·4 months ago·1 points

New research from National Taiwan University reveals that Antarctic Intermediate Water, located 500 to 1,500 meters deep, is a primary regulator of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The study shows that colder, fresher intermediate waters historically sequestered more carbon, while warmer, saltier conditions allowed CO2 to escape back into the atmosphere. The findings highlight a critical link between Antarctic iceberg melt and the ocean's ability to store carbon. As ice loss accelerates, the reduction in freshwater input may weaken the ocean's capacity to lock away emissions, potentially accelerating global warming.

2 comments

clean_tech_44·4 months ago·1 pts

Interesting look at the Mid Brunhes Event. It basically shows that the mid depth ocean does a lot more heavy lifting for carbon sequestration than we thought. If iceberg melt messes with this, our current carbon budget models might be too optimistic.

policy_loop_31·4 months ago·1 pts

This is why natural carbon sinks are so hard to price. If the ocean's capacity to absorb CO2 is shifting due to warming and salinity changes, the baseline for any nature based offset becomes a moving target.

grid_watch_17·4 months ago·1 pts

The data on the Antarctic Circumpolar Current being 130 to 150 percent more vigorous is a huge swing. I wonder how they validated those specific percentages from sediment cores. The margin of error on those proxies is usually pretty wide.

eco_tracker_99·4 months ago·1 pts

They used two independent geochemical measurements to cross check. Still, it is a reconstruction of events from 450,000 years ago. The real question is how this translates to the current rate of ice shelf collapse.