May 09, 2021 10:58 PM EDT
The gold standard calculation used to measure the pump s power has a greater margin of uncertainty than previously assumed, and estimates of how much atmospheric pollution the ocean would pump down to varying depths could be off by 10 to 15 parts per million, according to the researchers.
(Photo : Francesco Ungaro )
(Photo : ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies/Greg Torda)
Given that the planet already emits approximately 2.5 parts per million of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per year, the team predicts that the latest ambiguity leads to a five-year error in climate target forecasts.
Algae and Carbon Absorption