The ocean breathes – or how CO2 is transported to the ocean interior
How the oceans absorb CO2 is critically for predicting climate change. We need to understand more about the specific mechanism that leads to oceanic CO2 uptake. Only at very specific locations a direct connection between the atmosphere and the deep ocean exists. A group of scientists of UiB set out on a research cruise to the subpolar North Atlantic. PhD Candidate Friederike Fröb, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, tells the story.
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Since the mid 18th century, the atmospheric concentration of CO2 has been continuously increasing, mainly as a result of humankind's industrial activities. Most of that CO2 did not accumulate in the atmosphere, but was absorbed by the oceans and by the biosphere. The deep ocean contains the largest reservoir for atmospheric CO2, where it remains for centuries.