•1 min read•from Oceanography News -- ScienceDaily
A major climate hope in Antarctica just melted away
Our take
Recent research from West Antarctica has challenged a widely held climate theory regarding the melting of glaciers. Previously, it was believed that this meltwater would release iron into the ocean, promoting algae blooms capable of sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide. However, new field data indicates that the meltwater contributes significantly less iron than anticipated, with most of the iron sourced from deep ocean water and sediments.
A popular climate theory suggested that melting Antarctic glaciers would release iron into the ocean, sparking algae blooms that pull carbon dioxide from the air. New field data from West Antarctica reveal that meltwater provides far less iron than scientists once believed. Instead, most of the iron comes from deep ocean water and sediments, not from the melting ice itself. The discovery raises new questions about how Antarctica influences climate change.
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