Warming Arctic waters are emitting carbon

New Delhi: Once known to be Earth’s critical carbon sinks, an increasingly warming Arctic Ocean is driving intense carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, according to a study by NASA.

It’s been estimated that the cold waters of the Arctic absorb as much as 180 million metric tonnes of carbon per year – more than three times what New York City emits annually.

But, the study showed that thawing permafrost and carbon-rich runoff from Canada’s Mackenzie River trigger part of the Arctic Ocean to release more CO2 than it absorbs.

Scientists have for decades studied how carbon cycles between the open ocean and atmosphere, a process called air-sea CO2 flux. However, the observational record is sparse along the coastal fringes of the Arctic, where the terrain, sea ice, and long polar nights can make long-term monitoring and experiments challenging.

“With our model, we are trying to explore the real contribution of the coastal peripheries and rivers to the Arctic carbon cycle,” said lead author Clement Bertin, a scientist at Littoral Environnement et Societes in France.

Such insights are critical because about half of the area of the Arctic Ocean is composed of coastal waters, where land meets sea in a complex embrace. And while the study focused on a particular corner of the Arctic Ocean, it can help tell a larger story of environmental change unfolding in the region.