Northern ocean filling up with CO2
Joining the south in carbon un-sinking
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A decade-long study of the oceans has shown they are soaking up less and less carbon dioxide.
The oceans' ability to absorb the greenhouse gas halved between the mid 90s and the first five years of this century, scientists said.
The team of researchers, based at the University of East Anglia, carried out the study using automatic sensors attached to merchant ships crossing the North Atlantic. The findings are based on more than 90,000 measurements.
Whatever the cause, the team says the findings are worrying because the oceans are one of the planet's biggest carbon sinks, absorbing anywhere up to a quarter of our carbon emissions.
The team told the BBC the research suggests that in time the oceans could become saturated. If the seas are starting to become saturated, the CO2 they would have absorbed will remain in the atmosphere instead, accelerating global warming. The possible effect on marine life is unclear.
This work follows earlier research from the university which revealed the Southern Ocean is becoming saturated with carbon. In that instance, the team was confident in pointing the finger of blame at climate change, noting that variation in the region's winds, triggered by ozone depletion and greenhouse gas emission, were behind a release of previously stored CO2
The work is published in the Journal of Geophysical Research. ®
COMMENTS
Just plain silly
Haven't the oceans been warming up for some time now? Take a two liter bottle of soda, place in sun, and observe the quantity of CO2 it retains.
The second salient point has something to do with not being able to establish a trend with that little data, but then, that's so old skool as to be of no interest to enviro-religionists.
maybe, just maybe...
warmer water holds less co2 than cooler water. then perhaps the oceans have warmed and are absorbing less co2, thereby increasing atmospheric levels of co2. perhaps the sun caused these oceans to warm starting say 10 or 15 years ago and some scientists have erroneously attributed the effect to the cause.
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