LINE

    Text:AAAPrint
    Sci-tech

    Chemical changes in ocean significantly impact on climate change: study

    1
    2017-01-26 09:32Xinhua Editor: Gu Liping ECNS App Download

    Australian researchers have discovered that chemical changes in the ocean have a significant impact on climate change.

    The study, published by the University of Tasmania (UTAS) and Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) on Thursday, revealed that biogeochemical changes in the ocean modulate the environmental fluctuations between glacial and interglacial periods.

    Pearse Buchanan, the lead researcher from IMAS, said the study used a carbon climate model to simulate the impact of a range of ocean processes during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), when global ice cover reached its peak around 25,000 years ago.

    "The ocean is the primary driver of climate change over thousands of years, between ice ages and warm interglacial periods, by redistributing heat and carbon stored in the ocean," Buchanan said in a media release on Thursday.

    "In this study we sought to explain how the ocean was able to draw down significant amounts of carbon from the atmosphere at the time of the Last Glacial Maximum, said Buchanan.

    "There were physical changes to the ocean, such as increased ventilation of dense waters in the Southern Ocean, sea-ice expansion, and cooling. But the research found that the main influence was exerted by biogeochemical changes such as ocean productivity, the way sinking organic matter is remineralized and stored in the deep ocean, and the amount of calcium carbonate produced by calcifying organisms," he explained.

    He said that the research gave an insight into the mechanisms by which the ocean, and the global climate, will respond in the future as carbon levels rise.

    "Once you have those physical changes in the ocean the rest of the story -- about 60 percent of the story -- for the Last Glacial Maximum can only be explained when you start incorporating fundamental changes in biogeochemical processes that occur in the ocean," he said.

    "What that means is that in the future as circulation changes, sea-ice reduces and surface waters in the ocean get warmer, we also need to keep an eye on how ocean biogeochemical processes respond."

     

      

    Related news

    MorePhoto

    Most popular in 24h

    MoreTop news

    MoreVideo

    News
    Politics
    Business
    Society
    Culture
    Military
    Sci-tech
    Entertainment
    Sports
    Odd
    Features
    Biz
    Economy
    Travel
    Travel News
    Travel Types
    Events
    Food
    Hotel
    Bar & Club
    Architecture
    Gallery
    Photo
    CNS Photo
    Video
    Video
    Learning Chinese
    Learn About China
    Social Chinese
    Business Chinese
    Buzz Words
    Bilingual
    Resources
    ECNS Wire
    Special Coverage
    Infographics
    Voices
    LINE
    Back to top Links | About Us | Jobs | Contact Us | Privacy Policy
    Copyright ©1999-2018 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
    Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
    主站蜘蛛池模板: 鹤庆县| 南宁市| 苍梧县| 马公市| 罗平县| 南溪县| 高碑店市| 霍邱县| 固始县| 夹江县| 清镇市| 托克逊县| 昌江| 武功县| 鄯善县| 三穗县| 禄劝| 湟源县| 府谷县| 远安县| 横峰县| 沛县| 福建省| 玛纳斯县| 南澳县| 张北县| 乃东县| 清徐县| 水富县| 东乌珠穆沁旗| 鄂尔多斯市| 神木县| 洞头县| 洛宁县| 秦安县| 敦化市| 会理县| 离岛区| 巴彦淖尔市| 龙州县| 梧州市|