Climate change drives rapid decadal acidification in the Arctic Ocean from 1994 to 2020.
Science
; 377(6614): 1544-1550, 2022 09 30.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36173841
ABSTRACT
The Arctic Ocean has experienced rapid warming and sea ice loss in recent decades, becoming the first open-ocean basin to experience widespread aragonite undersaturation [saturation state of aragonite (Ωarag) < 1]. However, its trend toward long-term ocean acidification and the underlying mechanisms remain undocumented. Here, we report rapid acidification there, with rates three to four times higher than in other ocean basins, and attribute it to changing sea ice coverage on a decadal time scale. Sea ice melt exposes seawater to the atmosphere and promotes rapid uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide, lowering its alkalinity and buffer capacity and thus leading to sharp declines in pH and Ωarag. We predict a further decrease in pH, particularly at higher latitudes where sea ice retreat is active, whereas Arctic warming may counteract decreases in Ωarag in the future.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Agua de Mar
/
Cambio Climático
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Science
Año:
2022
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
China