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https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1505
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1505
05 Jan 2023
 | 05 Jan 2023

Considerations for hypothetical carbon dioxide removal via alkalinity addition in the Amazon River watershed

Linquan Mu, Jaime B. Palter, and Hongjie Wang

Abstract. The Amazon River plume plays a critical role in shaping the carbonate chemistry over a vast area in the western tropical North Atlantic. We explore a thought experiment of ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) via hypothetical quicklime addition in the Amazon River watershed, examining the response of carbonate chemistry and air-sea carbon dioxide flux to the alkalinity addition. Through a series of sensitivity tests, we show that the detectability of the OAE-induced alkalinity increment depends on the perturbation strength (or size of the alkalinity addition, ΔTA) and the number of samples: there is a 90 % chance to meet a minimum detectability requirement with ΔTA > 15 μmol kg-1 and sample size > 40, given background variability of 15–30 μmol kg-1. OAE-induced pCO2 reduction at the Amazon plume surface would range between 0–25 μatm when ΔTA = 20 μmol kg-1, decreasing with increasing salinity. Adding 20 μmol kg-1 of alkalinity at the river mouth could elevate the total carbon uptake in the Amazon River plume by 0.07–0.1 MtCO2 month-1. Such thought experiments are useful in designing minimalistic field trials and setting achievable goals for monitoring, reporting, and verification purposes.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

26 May 2023
Considerations for hypothetical carbon dioxide removal via alkalinity addition in the Amazon River watershed
Linquan Mu, Jaime B. Palter, and Hongjie Wang
Biogeosciences, 20, 1963–1977, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1963-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1963-2023, 2023
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Enhancing ocean alkalinity accelerates carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere. We...
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