Also, adding nutrients doesn't just lead to the hoped-for phytoplankton growth.
In a previously reported ocean iron fertilization experiment, that growth
quickly lead to a boom of some marine arthropods, instead of the hoped-for
deposition of dead planktons to the ocean floor as detritus.
But even if such detritus successfully sinks as "marine snow", it will still
increase the oxygen depletion beneath the region of the algal bloom, as a
significant fraction of the detritus is devoured by bacteria, other
microorganisms and deep sea animals that also consume oxygen. All this further
exacerbates ocean anoxia that's already affecting huge areas of the world's
oceans.
Maggie
----------------------------------------Maggie Zhou,
PhDhttps://www.facebook.com/maggie.zhou.543Twitter:
@[email protected]+41 61 535 0508 (Switzerland, landline)Skype:
mzhou_us
On Monday, November 13, 2017 8:16 PM, Andrew Lockley
<[email protected]> wrote:
The materials volumes of the sprays are very small and the concentrations
needed to effect biological changes may substantially impact droplet formation
and CCN properties
A
On 13 Nov 2017 19:01, "David Sevier" <[email protected]> wrote:
I have been considering how the base technology (the equipment that sprays the
salt water to whiten the clouds) that underpins Dr Salter’s cloud whitening
geo-engineering could be used in different and new ways. I believe that I have
hit upon a modification to the base technology that may prove to be quite
important and very useful. Proposed Modification to Cloud Whitening Into the
intake line feeding the spray equipment (this is the low pressure side),
inject either dissolved solutions / fine suspensions of key marine nutrients
such as iron, phosphate and silicate that limit growth in the top few
centimetres of the ocean surface away from the continental shelves. The
nutrients will be delivered to the clouds and will later fall as rain and
deliver the dilute (i.e. the level that micro plants require) nutrients to the
ocean surface. The proposed method avoids delivering nutrients in high
concentration from a dragged point and then requiring currents and waves to
disperse nutrients. The proposed method, because it uses wind, rain and
weather, will deliver nutrients across wide areas of ocean surface. In essence
I am suggesting converting the equipment for cloud whitening into a very
efficient method for delivering marine nutrients across wide areas that will be
significantly better than alternative methods. This solution directly address
the problem of spreading marine nutrients that if often cited as a drawback in
reference to ocean fertilization The modification should be relatively
inexpensive and simple to make as it is little more than using a low pressure
pump to continuously inject into a flowing line. Potential
AdvantagesRelatively few spray assemblies should be able fertilize very large
areas of ocean. Land based installations (which will cost less to build and
operate) on remote islands such as Easter Island will be able to deliver
nutrients to large areas of ocean. Overall the ability to deliver nutrients
across wide areas of the ocean surface for low cost and with reduced logistic
problems should improve the opportunities for ocean fertilization. Some
DiscussionThe modification of cloud whitening as I have outlined, blurs the
lines between solar radiation management and enhanced direct carbon capture. It
is both and should improve the interest in and need to further develop Dr
Salter’s cloud whitening technology. One further point that seems worth of
mention: many of the ocean ecosystems are near collapse due to overfishing
driven by the rising world population. This is a large problem that urgently
needs a solution. It is likely that increasing the deep ocean surface water
productivity by fertilization will lead to greater fish stocks in the areas
where fishing tends to be poor at present. Potentially this may give a much
needed safety valve to overfished areas and allow these areas to recover. Some
I expect will cite increased fish stocks in areas that are nutrient poor as
changing ecosystems and hold this as a reason for not considering ocean
fertilization. I would point out that we are already very severely modifying
coastal ecosystems by overfishing. Reversing this by increasing deep water fish
stocks is the better option. Ultimately the world population has to be fed.
David SevierCarbon Cycle Limited248 Sutton Common RoadSutton, Surrey SM3
9PWEnglandTel 44 (0)208 288 0128Fax 44 (0)208-288 0129www.carbon-cycle.co.uk
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