Ocean chemistry

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Ocean chemisty, also known as marine chemistry, is influenced by turbidity currents, sediments, PH levels, atmoshperic constituents, metamorphic activity, and ecology. The field of chemical oceanography studies the chemistry of marine environments including the influences of different variables.

The impact of increased carbon dioxide levels in the Earth's atmosphere on ocean chemistry from anthropogenic factors is an important area of study related to global warming and climate change. Researchers are studying how anthropogenic factors will impact and influence ocean chemistry and the related ecology of marine environments over the short and long term.

A planetary scientist using data from the Cassini spacecraft has been researching the marine chemistry of Saturn's moon Enceladus using geochemical models to look at changes through time. The presece of salts may indicate a liquid ocean within the moon, raising the possiblity of the existence of life, "or at least for the chemical precursors for organic life".

Scientists have expressed concern over increased carbon dioxide levels being absorbed into the oceans and causing acidification. The phenomenon has been implicated by scientists studying declining oyster populations on the pacific coast of the United States. One proposal suggests dumping massive amounts of lime, a base, to reverse the acidification and "increase the sea's ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere".

Special marine environments are created around Black smokers and Cold seeps.

For more information about Ocean chemistry, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


News tagged with ocean chemistry

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Human impacts and environmental factors are changing the northwest Atlantic ecosystem

Human Impacts and Environmental Factors Are Changing the Northwest Atlantic Ecosystem

Space & Earth / Environment

created Aug 31, 2009 | popularity 3.4 / 5 (5) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Fish in U.S. waters from Cape Hatteras to the Canadian border have moved away from their traditional, long-time habitats over the past four decades because of fundamental changes in the regional ...


Global warming tactic cools climate but won’t help corals, say researchers

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Jul 03, 2009 | popularity 2.5 / 5 (8) | comments 6

(PhysOrg.com) -- “Geoengineering” experiments proposed to reduce global warming by blocking sunlight with atmosphere-injected particles may cool the world but still leave carbon dioxide levels dangerously high, Stanford scientists ...


Is the Pacific Ocean's chemistry killing sea life?

Space & Earth / Environment

created Jun 21, 2009 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (13) | comments 8

The collapse began rather unspectacularly. In 2005, when most of the millions of Pacific oysters in this tree-lined estuary failed to reproduce, Washington's shellfish growers largely shrugged it off.


Rising acidity levels could trigger shellfish revenue declines, job losses

Rising acidity levels could trigger shellfish revenue declines, job losses

Space & Earth / Environment

created Jun 17, 2009 | popularity 2.8 / 5 (10) | comments 2

hanges in ocean chemistry -- a consequence of increased carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human industrial activity — could cause U.S. shellfish revenues to drop significantly in the next 50 years, according ...


Who will pick up the bill? Possible job cuts and revenue loss as a result of ocean acidification

Space & Earth / Environment

created Jun 01, 2009 | popularity 4.1 / 5 (39) | comments 4

Ocean acidification, a direct result of increased CO2 emission, is set to change the Earth's marine ecosystems forever and may have a direct impact on our economy, resulting in substantial revenue declines and job losses.