Table of Contents
What is Geritol solution?
The Geritol solution also known as Bio-engineered photosynthesis is the action for reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, thus slowing down or reversing global warming. A private California company is currently dumping iron dust into the ocean, to create giant algae blooms.
What does adding iron to the ocean do?
Adding iron to the ocean can cause blooms of algae, which have the potential to take huge amounts of carbon dioxide out of the air and by so doing, cool the planet.
Should we fertilize the ocean with iron?
The idea is that adding iron would encourage the growth of carbon-munching marine phytoplankton that would pull carbon out of the atmosphere on a global scale. But a new study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology suggests that iron fertilization, as the process is called, is unlikely to work.
What is the chief problem with the idea of iron fertilization of the oceans to remove carbon from the atmosphere?
Increased decomposition of sinking organic matter could deprive deep waters of oxygen or produce other greenhouse gases more potent than carbon dioxide, such as nitrous oxide and methane.
Does the ocean have iron?
In roughly a third of the ocean, iron is so rare that its absence can hinder the growth of diatoms and other phytoplankton. The Southern Ocean, where Martin developed his hypothesis, is one of the most “iron-limited” oceans in the world.
How is iron added to oceans?
Large algal blooms can be created by supplying iron to iron-deficient ocean waters. These blooms can nourish other organisms. Fertilization can also occur when weather carries wind blown dust long distances over the ocean, or iron-rich minerals are carried into the ocean by glaciers, rivers and icebergs.
Why is there so little iron in the ocean?
Plants need iron to transfer electrons during photosynthesis and to make chlorophyll. Phytoplankton need it to “fix” nitrogen into a usable form. Despite being the fourth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, iron is vanishingly scarce in the modern ocean.
Which greenhouse gas is the most significant contributor to global warming?
carbon dioxide
Indeed, carbon dioxide, a byproduct of fossil fuel combustion, is the principal greenhouse gas contributing to global warming. However, other greenhouse gases including methane, nitrous oxide, and a number of industrial-process gases also are important contributors to climate change.
Which of the following are the main greenhouse gases contributing to global climate change?
Carbon Dioxide
Main Greenhouse Gases
| Greenhouse gas | Major sources |
|---|---|
| Carbon Dioxide | Fossil fuel combustion; Deforestation; Cement production |
| Methane | Fossil fuel production; Agriculture; Landfills |
| Nitrous Oxide | Fertilizer application; Fossil fuel and biomass combustion; Industrial processes |
| Chlorofluorocarbon-12 (CFC-12) | Refrigerants |
What ocean has the most iron ore?
The Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean, where Martin developed his hypothesis, is one of the most “iron-limited” oceans in the world. Even with an abundance of other crucial nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, it’s the availability of iron that matters for diatoms and other organisms.
Why is iron important for phytoplankton?
Iron is required for the synthesis of chlorophyll and of several photosynthetic electron transport proteins and for the reduction of CO2, SO4(2-), and NO3(-) during the photosynthetic production of organic compounds.
Does the ocean floor have iron?
It’s thought that iron, once abundant in the oceans, began to form such deposits on the ocean floor between 2.5 billion and 1.9 billion years ago, as oxygen levels rose. Despite being the fourth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, iron is vanishingly scarce in the modern ocean.