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| q |
Changes in the physical oceanographic
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characteristics of the surface ocean – its
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temperature and salinity – during glaciations
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might alter the chemical solubility of Co2.
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| q |
Because CO2 dissolves more readily in
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colder seawater, atmospheric CO2 will drop
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by 9 ppm for each 1°C
of ocean cooling.
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| q |
Because CO2 dissolves more easily in
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seawater with a lower salinity, saltier glacial
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seawater will increase atmospheric CO2
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level.
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| q |
The effects of seawater temperature and
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salinity work against each other!
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| q |
The net effect of the physical oceanographic
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influences on atmospheric CO2 is to
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decrease CO2 by 11 ppm during glaciations.
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| q |
This process only explains 10% of the CO2
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changes on orbital scales.
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