Acidic Clouds Ironing Oceans
Wednesday, 7. October 2009, 08:55:37
In the cold waters of the Southern Ocean (surrounding Antactica) iron is biolimiting (i.e. it limits plankton growth), and it has for some years been suggested that fertilising it with iron could slow global warming by enhanced phytoplankton photosynthesis that would pull large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Scientists at the University of Leeds have now proved that acid in the atmosphere breaks down large particles of iron found in dust into small and extremely soluble iron nanoparticles, which are more readily used by plankton.
Water droplets in clouds generally form around dust and other particles. When clouds evaporate, as they often do naturally, the surface of the particle can become very acidic. This is especially true where the air is polluted. Paradoxically, scientists suggest that large scale industry in countries like China could be combating global warming to some extent by creating more bioavailable iron in the oceans, and therefore increasing carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere.
The research was published in the September 2009 issue of Environmental Science and Technology under the title 'Formation for Iron Nanoparticles and Increase in Iron Reactivity in Mineral Dust during Simulated Cloud Processing'.
The research was carried out by simulating clouds in the laboratory and adding a bit of Saharan dust. The laboratory experiments have been confirmed in natural samples where such cloud processing is known to have occurred.
PS:
See also http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/10/07/2707287.htm (Dust storm triggers ocean bloom)
Scientists at the University of Leeds have now proved that acid in the atmosphere breaks down large particles of iron found in dust into small and extremely soluble iron nanoparticles, which are more readily used by plankton.
Water droplets in clouds generally form around dust and other particles. When clouds evaporate, as they often do naturally, the surface of the particle can become very acidic. This is especially true where the air is polluted. Paradoxically, scientists suggest that large scale industry in countries like China could be combating global warming to some extent by creating more bioavailable iron in the oceans, and therefore increasing carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere.
The research was published in the September 2009 issue of Environmental Science and Technology under the title 'Formation for Iron Nanoparticles and Increase in Iron Reactivity in Mineral Dust during Simulated Cloud Processing'.
The research was carried out by simulating clouds in the laboratory and adding a bit of Saharan dust. The laboratory experiments have been confirmed in natural samples where such cloud processing is known to have occurred.
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http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es901294g
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http://www.leeds.ac.uk/news/article/138/acidic_clouds_nourish_worlds_oceans?research
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http://www.physorg.com/news173963676.html
PS:
See also http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/10/07/2707287.htm (Dust storm triggers ocean bloom)
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