A research team from the Institute of Marine Sciences and the Blas Cabrera Institute of Physical Chemistry, both part of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), has revealed in a study that the sulfur gas produced by marine life, which contributes to the formation of particles and clouds in the air, has a greater climate cooling effect than expected.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, has quantified for the first time the global marine emission of methanethiol.
The Role of Plankton in Climate Regulation
Almost 40 years ago, an innovative hypothesis was formulated about the role of the ocean in regulating Earth’s climate. The microscopic plankton on the sea surface produces sulfur in the form of gas, which when oxidized in the atmosphere forms aerosols.
These aerosols reflect part of the solar radiation back into space, reducing the heat retained by Earth and counteracting the effect of greenhouse gases. Additionally, these aerosols are essential for the formation of dense clouds, which have a high cooling capacity.
A Revolutionary Discovery
The new discovery expands the climate impact of marine sulfur by including a previously unnoticed compound. “Until now, we considered that the oceans emitted sulfur only in the form of dimethylsulfide,” explained Martí Galí, a researcher at ICM-CSIC.
Thanks to advancements in measurement instruments, it is now known that they also emit methanethiol. Researchers have quantified, on a global scale, the emissions of methanethiol, increasing by 25% the known marine sulfur emissions, a compound more efficient in aerosol formation.
Pacific Ocean near Port Orford[/caption>
Climatic Cooling in the Southern Hemisphere
The research team has found that the impacts are more visible in the southern hemisphere, where there is less human activity and the presence of sulfur from fossil fuels is lower. This reflects how the ocean influenced the climate before the Industrial Revolution.
This study demonstrates that oceans not only capture and distribute solar heat and absorb carbon dioxide, but also produce gases and particles with immediate climatic effects.
Conclusions and Warnings
Despite this positive discovery, scientists warn that the impact of human activity is of such magnitude that the planet will continue to warm if no measures are taken. The CSIC study is further evidence of the urgent need to take action to mitigate climate change.
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