Until now, rain has been ignored in calculations of the ocean’s capacity to capture carbon dioxide (CO2), but a new estimate suggests that precipitation enhances the ocean’s ability to trap emissions by 5% to 7%.
Importance of Oceans in the Carbon Cycle
Oceans are crucial for the global carbon cycle, capturing approximately a quarter of the CO2 emitted by human activities each year.
A study published in Nature Geoscience, led by the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the École Normale Supérieure (ENS) in Paris, revealed that around 6% of the total CO2 absorption by the ocean is due to rain, a contribution not previously considered.
Impact of Rain on CO2 Absorption
Rain impacts carbon exchange in three different ways: it generates turbulence on the ocean surface, dilutes seawater altering the chemical balance, allows water to absorb more CO2, and directly injects absorbed CO2 during its fall.
Global Estimate and Future
This study is the first to provide a global estimate of these effects. Based on satellite observations and global climate data from 2008 to 2018, the results show that rain increases the oceans’ capacity to retain carbon by 5% to 7%.
According to an article in the journal Eos, the effect of rain could strengthen with climate change, as storms pour more rain and precipitation patterns over the ocean are altered.
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