CO2 Saturation?

[Carcano]

Is there a limit to how much CO2 can be absorbed by a body of sea water relative to its mass and temperature?

Also, do we have a record of ocean water ph levels and carbonic acid content going back millions of years?

Can this be determined by testing deep ice cores?

I'm looking for a chart or graph and cant find one on google images.

[orcot]

as the carbon can form sediments on the ocean floor their is no clear answer to your question.

But perhaps this link will help you

[wellwisher]

Here is a graph for the solubility of CO2 in water as a function of temperature. This graph tells us that more CO2 can dissolve within cooler water than warm water, such as near the poles and in deeper ocean water.

It also implies more CO2 can dissolve at higher elevations, such as mountains where it is cooler relative to lower elevations at the same latitude-longitude. It also suggests water in clouds is more effective at absorbing CO2, than surface water since, the clouds are up high where it is cooler, with thunder heads the best absorbers due to their 50K foot peaks. When it rains, the CO2 is released, due to the warmer surface below (lower CO2 solubility) for easy absorption by plants.

[iceaura]

It also implies more CO2 can dissolve at higher elevations,

You need a pressure dimension, to talk about elevation. Temperature alone won't tell you much.

[KilljoyKlown]

Is there a limit to how much CO2 can be absorbed by a body of sea water relative to its mass and temperature?

Yes but saturation varies with both temperature and pressure.

Also, do we have a record of ocean water ph levels and carbonic acid content going back millions of years?

If they can find old coral deposits to take core samples of they can determine the CO2 levels as the acidic levels of the ocean does leave it's mark on coral.

Can this be determined by testing deep ice cores?

Not for millions of years, but maybe in the 100,000 year range. Your best bet is the coral cores.

[Carcano]

as the carbon can form sediments on the ocean floor their is no clear answer to your question.

But perhaps this link will help you

This is very interesting...thanks for posting.

Is it possible that increasing atmospheric CO2 levels absorbed by the oceans will eventually be sequestered by sedimentation???

I want to know because I'm trying to develop a sci-fi plot for a novel about an earth 300 years in the future, after a period of worldwide volcanic activity cranking out quadrillions of tons of C02.

Humans at this point can only live on mountain peaks and in floating cities...as the heavier CO2 at surface level has pushed the oxygen content to higher elevations. Most other species have gone extinct from suffocation.

[iceaura]

Is it possible that increasing atmospheric CO2 levels absorbed by the oceans will eventually be sequestered by sedimentation???

I want to know because I'm trying to develop a sci-fi plot for a novel about an earth 300 years in the future,

You need a lot more than three hundred years for sediment sequestration.

The white cliffs of Dover, for example, took millions of years http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Cretaceous_Period

[wellwisher]

Another consideration is pH or the acid/base level. Below is a diagram for how CO2 will exist within water, as a function of pH.



At acidic pH at 4 or below, CO2 exists as carbonic acid H2CO3. At neutral to slightly basic pH the CO2 is mostly bicarbonate HCO3-. While at the highest pH, it is carbonate.

Ocean water is slight basic and has a pH of about 8.1. This is where CO2 becomes mostly bicarbonate. The bicarbonate ions have negative charge and will interact with the many cations found in ocean water, helping to bind the CO2.

[iceaura]

Another consideration is pH or the acid/base level.

That changes as more CO2 dissolves into the water. The more dissolved carbon dioxide (which contributes O but no H), the lower the pH.