Climate Change and the Sea: A Major Disruption in Steady State and the Master Variables

Abstract

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, humans have burned enormous quantities of coal, oil, and natural gas, rivaling nature’s elemental cycles of C, N, and S. The result has been a disruption in a steady state of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, a warming of the planet, and changes in master variables (temperature, pH, and pε) of the sea affecting critical physical, chemical, and biological reactions. Humans have also produced copious quantities of N and P fertilizers producing widespread coastal hypoxia and low dissolved oxygen conditions, which now threaten even the open ocean. Consequently, our massive alteration of state variables diminishes coral reefs, fisheries, and marine ecosystems, which are the foundation of life on Earth. We point to a myriad of actions and alternatives which will help to stem the tide of climate change and its effects on the sea while, at the same time, creating a more sustainable future for humans and ecosystems alike.

Surface Passivation by Embedment of Polyphosphate Inhibits the Aragonite-to-Calcite Thermodynamic Pump

“…The diagenesis of calcium carbonates, including their dissolution and recrystallization, is important in both marine and freshwater systems because of its impact on the ocean carbon budget, − ocean acidification , and for CO 2 capture and storage technologies . Underlying these diagenetic factors, the two most common CaCO 3 polymorphs (aragonite and calcite) have low but different values for equilibrium solubility constants . In this work, we use solid-state NMR and infrared spectroscopy to follow the manifestation of calcite-to-aragonite phase conversion processes when powders of these two phases are cosuspended in water.…”

“…6 Underlying these diagenetic factors, the two most common CaCO 3 polymorphs (aragonite and calcite) have low but different values for equilibrium solubility constants. 7 In this work, we use solid-state NMR and infrared spectroscopy to follow the manifestation of calcite-toaragonite phase conversion processes when powders of these two phases are cosuspended in water. Moreover, we identify at the molecular level a mechanism that inhibits the phase conversion: surface embedding of a dissolved phosphatebearing additive.…”