Only heard a short news item this morning about this. Researchers have
found that the Atlantic was absorbing far less CO2 than it did x years
ago. The reporter asked the 'expert' (well, I suppose he was) and he
had no idea why this was happening. Seems reasonable to suggest that
it will increase further global warming because of the green house
effect. I would have thought the simple answer is that if the ocean
temperature is warmer it will dissolve/absorb less CO2 so the result
isn't too surprising. Anybody know more about this?

In message .com, Pete
L writes
Only heard a short news item this morning about this. Researchers have
found that the Atlantic was absorbing far less CO2 than it did x years
ago. The reporter asked the 'expert' (well, I suppose he was) and he
had no idea why this was happening. Seems reasonable to suggest that
it will increase further global warming because of the green house
effect. I would have thought the simple answer is that if the ocean
temperature is warmer it will dissolve/absorb less CO2 so the result
isn't too surprising. Anybody know more about this?

The absorption of CO2 by the oceans isn't as simple as the equilibrium
between dissolved and atmospheric carbon dioxide. The fixation of CO2 by
phytoplankton, the formation of calcite and aragonite skeletal elements,
and the export of these to deeper waters by gravity, all have an effect.
This is why "fertilising" the oceans is one proposed technique of carbon
sequestration.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Pete L wrote:

Only heard a short news item this morning about this. Researchers have
found that the Atlantic was absorbing far less CO2 than it did x years
ago. The reporter asked the 'expert' (well, I suppose he was) and he
had no idea why this was happening. Seems reasonable to suggest that
it will increase further global warming because of the green house
effect. I would have thought the simple answer is that if the ocean
temperature is warmer it will dissolve/absorb less CO2 so the result
isn't too surprising. Anybody know more about this?

Here's the BBC story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7053903.stm

--
Graham P Davis, Bracknell, Berks., UK. E-mail "newsman", not "newsboy".
"What use is happiness? It can't buy you money." [Chic Murray, 1919-85]

On 20 Oct, 13:03, Pete L wrote:
Only heard a short news item this morning about this. Researchers have
found that the Atlantic was absorbing far less CO2 than it did x years
ago. The reporter asked the 'expert' (well, I suppose he was) and he
had no idea why this was happening. Seems reasonable to suggest that
it will increase further global warming because of the green house
effect. I would have thought the simple answer is that if the ocean
temperature is warmer it will dissolve/absorb less CO2 so the result
isn't too surprising. Anybody know more about this?

I suspect that this is the paper they were referring to:
Brown, P.J., Schuster, U., and Watson, A. J. "Large variations in
anthropogenic carbon accumulation in the North Atlantic Subtropics."
Submitted to J Geophys. Res. which can be seen on Andrew Watson's (the
expert) web pages at http://lgmacweb.env.uea.ac.uk/ajw/Re..._submitted.pdf

If you go to the BBC Radio 4 web pages you can listen again to the
Today program. There is a short news item at 1 hour 4 mins and an
interview with Dr Andrew Watson FRS at 1 hour 20 minutes. I have
just heard it myself now.

It is typical of the equivocation you get from the "professional
scientist." Basically he is saying that it is caused by a warming
ocean but that might not be caused by global warming (when it is
pretty obvious that it is.) He points out that if it is due to global
warming then it will form a positive feedback (which could lead to a
runaway.) He seems unable to suggest anyway to reverse it, and seems
to think that the only thing to do is keep measuring for another ten
years. If it has stopped by then it means it was due to natural
causes. If it has not stopped then, then if the runaway has not
already happened by then it is highly unlikely that it will be
possible to prevent it!

Cheers, Alastair.