The research team from the Center for Permafrost (CENPERM) at the University of Copenhagen found out that the meltwater from West Greenland is a hotspot for ocean nutrients. The lead author Thor Markussen uploaded the results of the study in the journal Scientific Reports.
The Danish scientists are very interested in the study of the Greenland’s meltwater. The earlier research gave a lot of information, but Thor Markussen decided to check the data once more. The marine biologists have developed a special underwater camera, which could supply the scientists with fresh insights into how iron-rich sediments, an important food source for marine algae, behave in the ocean.
This recent data turns out to be rather different than Danish scientists had thought. First of all, instead of being deposited close to the coast, it appears that the iron particles can be transported further into the fjord, towards the sea.
Such an iron’s behavior means that it’s available as a nutrient for marine algae. The latter are the crucial component in the ocean’s ability to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Dr Markussen from CENPERM explains the importance of their discovery:
“We’re looking at a very small scale–how individual particles that are micrometre sized, stick together or aggregate. But it’s related to very large scale processes and ultimately to how well the ocean is able to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere,”
The scientists from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, is going on research the meltwater from West Greenland, it’s clearly that’s it is a hotspot for ocean nutrients.
