Scientists discover hidden element of the oceans that protects against global warming
Science Today – Global Warming
Scientists are uncovering remarkable findings beneath the ocean’s surface, from hidden windows into the Earth’s ancient past under the Pacific to lost underwater cities in the Atlantic. However, a new breakthrough indicates they might have missed a crucial layer just above the ocean floor: an ultra-thin, 2mm layer of cold water on the surface. This discovery could have a significant impact on protecting the Earth against global warming.
The British-led team of researchers found that this thin layer on the ocean’s surface acts as a potent carbon sink, absorbing substantial amounts of carbon dioxide. Despite its minuscule thickness, the cold-water film plays a major role in carbon capture. It functions as a unique interface where slight temperature differences between this surface layer and the underlying water enhance CO₂ absorption. This thin layer boosts the ocean’s ability to capture CO₂, which helps in mitigating the effects of global warming.
Globally, oceans are responsible for absorbing about a quarter of all human-created carbon emissions. This newly recognized surface phenomenon could mean the ocean’s contribution to carbon sequestration has been underappreciated in climate models, influencing future climate predictions and potential emissions reduction strategies.
The study, published in Nature Geoscience and submitted to the Global Carbon Budget assessment, involved months of rigorous fieldwork. Teams traversed the Atlantic, enduring challenging weather conditions and measuring subtle variations in CO₂ levels in the air near the ocean’s surface. Led by Daniel Ford, a research fellow at the University of Exeter who conducted much of the fieldwork aboard the RRS Discovery research ship, the team meticulously gathered data to capture the nuanced interactions within this delicate surface layer.
“With the upcoming COP29 climate conference, this research emphasizes the critical role of oceans in climate regulation and offers vital improvements to global carbon assessments guiding emission reduction efforts,” Ford stated.
