The Arctic Ocean has experienced rapid warming and sea ice loss in recent decades, becoming the first open-ocean basin to experience widespread aragonite undersaturation [saturation state of aragonite (Ω) < 1]. However, its trend toward long-term ocean acidification and the underlying mechanisms remain undocumented. Here, we report rapid acidification there, with rates three to four times higher than in other ocean basins, and attribute it to changing sea ice coverage on a decadal time scale. Sea ice melt exposes seawater to the atmosphere and promotes rapid uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide, lowering its alkalinity and buffer capacity and thus leading to sharp declines in pH and Ω. We predict a further decrease in pH, particularly at higher latitudes where sea ice retreat is active, whereas Arctic warming may counteract decreases in Ω in the future.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abo0383 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Summer profiles: Tracing currently used organophosphorus pollutants in the surface seawater of the Arctic Ocean.
Sci Total Environ
December 2024
Ministry of Natural Resources Key Laboratory for Polar Sciences, Polar Research Institute of China, NO.451, Jinqiao Road, Shanghai, 200136, China; Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power, NO. 508, Second Avenue, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, China. Electronic address:
We investigate the spatial distribution and potential ecological impact of Currently Used Organophosphorus Pollutants (CUOPPs) in the Arctic Ocean, focusing on the East Siberian Sea, Laptev Sea, and high Arctic regions. Analyzing surface water samples collected during a scientific expedition aboard the "Xuelong 2" in August and September 2021, we detected 38 out of 83 targeted CUOPPs, including Phorate, Paraoxon, and Azinphos-ethyl, with concentrations exhibiting significant geographical variance. The results reveal a pronounced increase in CUOPP concentrations towards the Arctic poles, diverging markedly from the patterns observed in the East China Sea, thereby highlighting distinct regional pollution profiles and environmental interactions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe effect of CO ramping rate on the transient weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
January 2025
Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105.
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a key component of the global climate that is projected to weaken under future anthropogenic climate change. While many studies have investigated the AMOC's response to different levels and types of forcing in climate models, relatively little attention has been paid to the AMOC's sensitivity to the rate of forcing change, despite it also being highly uncertain in future emissions scenarios. In this study, I isolate the AMOC's response to different rates of CO increase in a state-of-the-art global climate model and find that the AMOC undergoes more severe weakening under faster rates of CO change, even when the magnitude of CO change is the same.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA circumpolar review of the breeding distribution and habitat use of the snow petrel (), the world's most southerly breeding vertebrate.
Polar Biol
December 2024
Department of Geography, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE UK.
Knowledge of the spatial distribution of many polar seabird species is incomplete due to the remoteness of their breeding locations. Here, we compiled a new database of published and unpublished records of all known snow petrel breeding sites. We quantified local environmental conditions at sites by appending indices of climate and substrate, and regional-scale conditions by appending 30 year mean (1992-2021) sea-ice conditions within accessible foraging areas.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA position and wave spectra dataset of Marginal Ice Zone dynamics collected around Svalbard in 2022 and 2023.
Sci Data
December 2024
University of Oslo, Department of Geosciences, Oslo, 0313, Norway.
Sea ice is a key element of the global Earth system, with a major impact on global climate and regional weather. Unfortunately, accurate sea ice modeling is challenging due to the diversity and complexity of underlying physics happening there, and a relative lack of ground truth observations. This is especially true for the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ), which is the area where sea ice is affected by incoming ocean waves.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean Version 5.0.
Sci Data
December 2024
Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA.
Knowledge about seafloor depth, or bathymetry, is crucial for various marine activities, including scientific research, offshore industry, safety of navigation, and ocean exploration. Mapping the central Arctic Ocean is challenging due to the presence of perennial sea ice, which limits data collection to icebreakers, submarines, and drifting ice stations. The International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean (IBCAO) was initiated in 1997 with the goal of updating the Arctic Ocean bathymetric portrayal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!