Carbon Dioxide in the Oceans

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Carbon Dioxide in the OceanJose LermaRoger DelgadoMeagan Jimenez

What is Carbon Dioxide?

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3What is Carbon Dioxide?

CO2Compound gas In its natural state

OdorlessColorless

Non-flammableFaintly acidic

4The Ocean as a Carbon Sink

How does Carbon Dioxide get in the oceans?

• Air-Sea Exchange• Natural cycle where

atmosphere-ocean give/take CO2

• Carbon Sequestration• Stop CO2 from going into

the atmosphere by injection of CO2 in the ocean

5Carbon Sequestration

6Carbon Dioxide and El Nino?

 El Nino• Warming of water in the Pacific Ocean• Occurs every 3-7 years• Happens during winter

Less CO2 is being releasedThus oceans hold more of the CO2 than normal

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Why?Lack of upwelling• Colder water holds

more CO2 • Warm water takes

over.• Less CO2 released to

atmosphere.

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Why?Wildfires• Droughts in Tropics• Brush Fires• Vast amounts of CO2

released from fires

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Does CO2 affect Ocean Currents?

• What is the Thermohaline Circulation?• Can the rise of CO2 disrupt the THC?• Effects of no Thermohaline?

Thermohaline Circulation• Largest Global Ocean Circulation• Transport heat around the world• How it works• Surface, Deep, Bottom• Affects CO2 Levels

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12THC Affected by CO2

•Surface warming• Rising Temperatures

•Surface Freshening• Melting Ice

•“Low probability-high impact” risks•Cooling in most places in the world

Ocean Acidification

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Future (2013-Dooms Day)

Works Cited• http://laaltmann.wikispaces.com/file/view/coral_bleaching_before_and_after.jpg/212070250/6

04x294/coral_bleaching_before_and_after.jpg• http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/What+is+Ocean+Acidification%3F• http://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Paleoclimatology_Evidence/Images/thermoh

aline_circulation.jpg• http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases99/apr99/noaa99-30.html • http://dailyuw.com/archive/2000/04/03/imported/el-nino-could-be-behind-carbon-dioxide-

increase#.ULa-bazAeSo • http://www.fs.fed.us/ecosystemservices/carbon.shtml • http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/ElNINO_FIRES.html • http://coris.noaa.gov/exchanges/coralfuture/• http://www.desdemonadespair.net/2009/10/graph-of-day-ocean-acidification-models.html• http://centerforoceansolutions.org/climate/impacts/ocean-acidification/• http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/ocean-acidification.html• http://www.research.noaa.gov/spotlite/spot_gcc.html• http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/news/2005/10/69063

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