Iron release into the Southern Ocean from thinning Antarctic glaciers could boost carbon absorption.
Iron leached into seawater from exposed mountain tops boosts phytoplankton which take up CO2 through photosynthesis. The question is how much and over what timescales.
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Thinning Antarctic glaciers expose high-altitude nunataks delivering more bioavailable iron to the Southern Ocean - Nature Communications
Iron-rich sediments are transferred from Antarctic mountains to the coast by glacial systems. Sediments that reach ice shelf fronts provide iron to ocean phytoplankton, increasing CO2 uptake; this cou...
