Discrepant Ca and Alkalinity Distributions in the Oceans - Its Relevance to Deep Ocean Chemistry and a Test of the Hydrothermal Hypothesis

小行星9529749纳尔逊 钙的化学性质和世界海洋的二氧化碳-碳酸盐系统通过碳酸钙的生产和溶解过程密切相关。碳酸钙-二氧化碳系统实际上是海洋环境的主要地球化学特征之一。最近的数据有力地表明，海洋中钙浓度的变化并不完全等于人们根据碱度的相应变化所预期的变化。这意味着这个主要的海洋地球化学系统中有一些我们不了解的东西。 在这个项目中，华盛顿大学的科学家们将对海洋水柱中的钙和碱度变化进行详细的研究，同时考虑到两端。 首先，他们将通过调查西北太平洋、东北太平洋、东南太平洋和北印度洋的沃茨，在全球范围内描述钙碱性差异的特征。 其次，他们还将在全球范围内对镁和锂浓度以及锂同位素分布进行高精度测量，以检验钙-碱度差异可以用洋脊热液输入来解释的假设。

9529749 Nelson The chemistry of calcium and the carbon dioxide-carbonate system of the world ocean are intimately related by processes of production and dissolution of calcium carbonate. The calcium carbonate- carbon dioxide system is in fact one of the major geochemical features of the marine environment. Recent data strongly suggest that variations in calcium concentrations in the ocean are not quite equal to those one would expect based on the corresponding variations in alkalinity. This means that there is something about this major marine geochemical system that we do not understand. In this project, scientists at the University of Washington will carry out a detailed study of calcium and alkalinity variations in the oceanic water column with two ends in mind. First they will characterize the calcium-alkalinity discrepancy on a global basis by surveying waters of the Northwest Pacific, Northeast Pacific, Southeast Pacific, and the North Indian Ocean. Secondly, they will also make high-precision measurements of magnesium and lithium concentrations and lithium isotope distributions on a global scale to test the hypothesis that the Ca- alkalinity discrepancy can be explained by hydrothermal input of ocean ridges.