Title: Impact of surface ocean acidification on the CO2 absorption rate

Authors: A. Shanableh, T. Merabtene, M. Omar, M. Imteaz

Addresses: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE. ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE. ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE. ' Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Science, Swinburne University of Technology, P.O. Box 218, Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122, Australia

Abstract: The rising level of atmospheric CO2 and consequently the acidification of the surface ocean affect the CO2 absorption rate. However, there are no mathematical models to describe the impacts of acidification on the rate of CO2 absorption. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop simple mathematical models to describe the dependence of the CO2 absorption rate on the pH of the surface ocean. The developed models predict that the CO2 absorption rate is enhanced with acidification directly proportional to the increase in the abundance of H2CO*3 in the surface ocean. In addition, the models predict that the increasing rate of CO2 absorption reflects the increasing rate of increase of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Keywords: global warming; ocean acidification; carbon absorption rate; surface ocean; atmospheric CO2; carbon dioxide; greenhouse gases; mathematical modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2011.038377

International Journal of Global Warming, 2011 Vol.3 No.1/2, pp.163 - 172

Published online: 29 Jan 2015 *

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