What determines the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in surface waters of the ocean?
Surface water concentrations depend on the temperature and the carbon balance of the water, which is itself affected by biological processes, such as photosynthesis and respiration. Water temperature affects solubility. As warm waters cool, they can absorb more carbon dioxide. As cool waters become warmer, CO2 is less soluble and is released to the atmosphere. Ocean water at depth is rich in carbon and regions in which deep waters rise to the surface due to mixing or upwelling tend to have high concentration of carbon dioxide. Photosynthesis can only occur in the illuminated upper ocean, and it consumes carbon dioxide. If the partial pressure of CO2 in the ocean exceeds the partial pressure of the overlying atmosphere, the flux goes from ocean to atmosphere.
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