Salinity from space unlocks satellite-based assessment of ocean acidification

Type Article
Date 2015-02
Language English
Author(s) Land Peter1, Shutler Jamie2, Findlay Helen1, Girard-Ardhuin FannyORCID3, Sabia Roberto3, 4, Reul NicolasORCID3, Piolle Jean-Francois3, Chapron BertrandORCID3, Quilfen YvesORCID, Salisbury Joseph5, Vandemark Douglas5, Bellerby Richard6, Bhadury Punyasloke7
Affiliation(s) 1 : Plymouth Marine Lab, Plymouth PL1 3DH, Devon, England.
2 : Univ Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, Cornwall, England.
3 : IFREMER, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
4 : Estec, Telespazio Vega UK European Space Agcy ESA, Noordwijk, Netherlands.
5 : Univ New Hampshire, Ocean Proc Anal Lab, Durham, NH 03824 USA.
6 : Norwegian Inst Water Res, N-5006 Bergen, Norway.
7 : Indian Inst Sci Educ & Res Kolkata, Dept Biol Sci, Mohanpur 741246, W Bengal, India.
Source Environmental Science & Technology (0013-936X) (Amer Chemical Soc), 2015-02 , Vol. 49 , N. 4 , P. 1987-1994
DOI 10.1021/es504849s
WOS© Times Cited 28
Abstract Approximately a quarter of the carbon dioxide (CO2) that we emit into the atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean. This oceanic uptake of CO2 leads to a change in marine carbonate chemistry resulting in a decrease of seawater pH and carbonate ion concentration, a process commonly called ‘Ocean Acidification’. Salinity data are key for assessing the marine carbonate system, and new space-based salinity measurements will enable the development of novel space-based ocean acidification assessment. Recent studies have highlighted the need to develop new in situ technology for monitoring ocean acidification, but the potential capabilities of space-based measurements remain largely untapped. Routine measurements from space can provide quasi-synoptic, reproducible data for investigating processes on global scales; they may also be the most efficient way to monitor the ocean surface. As the carbon cycle is dominantly controlled by the balance between the biological and solubility carbon pumps, innovative methods to exploit existing satellite sea surface temperature and ocean color, and new satellite sea surface salinity measurements, are needed and will enable frequent assessment of ocean acidification parameters over large spatial scales.
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Land Peter, Shutler Jamie, Findlay Helen, Girard-Ardhuin Fanny, Sabia Roberto, Reul Nicolas, Piolle Jean-Francois, Chapron Bertrand, Quilfen Yves, Salisbury Joseph, Vandemark Douglas, Bellerby Richard, Bhadury Punyasloke (2015). Salinity from space unlocks satellite-based assessment of ocean acidification. Environmental Science & Technology, 49(4), 1987-1994. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1021/es504849s , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00247/35863/