Study: Arctic Ocean Likely To Become 20 % More Acidic Than Projected In Coming Decades

[hatrack]

In the coming decades, the Arctic Ocean will absorb significantly more carbon dioxide than what has been predicted by current climate models, according to new research from the University of Bern. The increased rate of ocean acidification, combined with other rapidly changing chemical conditions, could ultimately disrupt the entire Arctic food chain.

A growing collection of studies suggest that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are now the highest they have been in millions of years. While it was known that ocean acidification will increase at the fastest rate in the Arctic, a team of climate scientists has now determined that acidification will accelerate in the Arctic even faster than expected.

The research was focused on the analysis of current climate models. Even though projections of 21st-century acidification were highly variable across the models, the team identified a correspondence in the estimates of Arctic sea surface density. The experts used the surface density simulations as a proxy for estimating deep water formation. With a greater extent of deep-water formation, more carbon dioxide is transported into the ocean interior.

Based on the current rate of CO2 emissions, the experts determined that the Arctic Ocean will absorb 20 percent more CO2 this century compared to recent climate model estimates.

EDIT

https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-acidification-will-be-worse-than-expected-in-the-arctic/

[Boomer]

1. One of these days...

We'll get a report about some aspect of climate change happening slower than expected....

And after a heart-stopping moment, we'll discover it's an Onion article.