Large icebergs help control global warming – Times

Ed. Print IN THE OCEANS

Large icebergs help control global warming. – Efe

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The big icebergs play a key role in the process of absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the oceans dioxide, as it helps to contain global warming, according to a study published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

From the analysis of satellite imagery, British scientists determined that the meltwater of icebergs, rich in iron and other nutrients, stimulates the growth of phytoplankton, aquatic organisms able to accumulate CO2 during photosynthesis.

The study, conducted by experts from the British University of Sheffield, estimates that the process launched by large chunks of floating ice is responsible for 20 percent of the carbon dioxide absorption in the Southern Ocean .

The geophysical Grant Bigg and his group studied the color changes on the surface of the water after the passage of icebergs over 18 kilometers, an indicator of phytoplankton productivity.

From 175 images taken between 2003 and 2013, researchers found that these large ice formations leave a trail of biological activity that persists at least one month after its passage.

Scientists believe that the Southern Ocean It is a key player in the global cycle of carbon dioxide, to be responsible for approximately 10 percent of the absorption of CO2 on the planet through biological and chemical processes, including phytoplankton photosynthesis.

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