Iron fertilization in the ocean and consequences for the global carbon cycle

It has been suggested that fertilizing the ocean with iron can stop the continuing increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide by enhancing the biological uptake of carbon. This would decrease the surface ocean partial pressure of carbon dioxide, thus forcing the absorbtion of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Using a five-box model of the ocean circulation, we study the response of the ocean due to iron fertilization and its consequences for the carbon dioxide atmospheric partial pressure. We simulate the fertilization in the North Atlantic, the low latitudes and the Southern Ocean, assuming a strong productivity in each area of experimentation. We find that the Southern Ocean is the most effective area for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide, with a drop of 28 ppm in carbon dioxide atmospheric partial pressure after 150 years of continuous fertilization.