Effects of Ocean Circulation Change on Atmospheric CO₂

Abstract

The effects of ocean circulation on steady-state atmospheric CO2 concentration in ocean models pertaining to glacial climates are reviewed in this chapter. In this context, it appears that ocean circulation changes could provoke four basic effects: (1) Circulation-activated change in calcium carbonate (CaCO3) production can change the deep ocean CO3 = concentration and (2) the rain ratio of organic C to CaCO3 production; (3) change in thermohaline circulation or upper ocean mixing may alter the shape of the vertical gradient of dissolved CO3=; and (4) changing thermohaline circulation may interact with both biological production and air–sea exchange in high-latitude deep water formation areas to effect change in atmospheric CO2 through the solubility and biological pumps.