Kīlauea volcano eruption fosters algae bloom in North Pacific Ocean (opens in new tab)

(news.usc.edu)

40 pointscurtis6y ago8 comments

8 comments

Pumping nutrient rich water from the deep ocean to the surface is one proposed way of increasing ocean productivity to repair fish stocks and sequester carbon.

This volcano has provided a natural demonstration of this effect.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_fertilization

LorenPechtel6y ago

Fish, yes, but it doesn't help with global warming. The problem is that while you sequester a lot of carbon you end up converting some of the carbon from CO2 to CH4--and that's a much stronger greenhouse gas.

twic6y ago

Could you by any chance point me towards any solid quantitative studies of that? The Wikipedia page mentions it in passing, but the reference is pretty unsatisfying:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_fertilization

catwind76y ago

very interesting! could someone explain why the hot water would lead to deep, cold water being brought to the surface? I thought hot water is less dense than cold water. Wouldn't it just sit on the surface for a long time?

Or is there just such a large amount of this extremely hot water that the mixing overtime generates movement across the board?

alikim6y ago

I think it's that, as the lava sinks to the ocean floor, it warms the colder, nutrient rich water at depth and causes it to rise.

pvaldes6y ago

Exactly this. Warm water is less dense than cold water and "floats" over it. The volcano has created a temporary nursery for fishes basically.

strmpnk6y ago

The lava is pouring into the deeper cold water and causing it to rise. At least that’s how I read it.

catwind76y ago

oh yeah that makes more sense i misread it as water but they meant lava. woops

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

8 comments

opwieurposiu6y ago

Pumping nutrient rich water from the deep ocean to the surface is one proposed way of increasing ocean productivity to repair fish stocks and sequester carbon.

This volcano has provided a natural demonstration of this effect.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_fertilization

LorenPechtel6y ago

twic6y ago

Could you by any chance point me towards any solid quantitative studies of that? The Wikipedia page mentions it in passing, but the reference is pretty unsatisfying:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_fertilization

catwind76y ago

Or is there just such a large amount of this extremely hot water that the mixing overtime generates movement across the board?

alikim6y ago

I think it's that, as the lava sinks to the ocean floor, it warms the colder, nutrient rich water at depth and causes it to rise.

pvaldes6y ago

Exactly this. Warm water is less dense than cold water and "floats" over it. The volcano has created a temporary nursery for fishes basically.

strmpnk6y ago

The lava is pouring into the deeper cold water and causing it to rise. At least that’s how I read it.

catwind76y ago

oh yeah that makes more sense i misread it as water but they meant lava. woops

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse