http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/2015JG003045/abstract

Impact of idealized future stratospheric aerosol injection on the
large-scale ocean and land carbon cycles

J. F. Tjiputra, A. Grini and H. Lee

Article first published online: 6 JAN 2016

DOI: 10.1002/2015JG003045

Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences

Keywords:

climate engineering; ocean biogeochemistry; land carbon cycle; Earth system
model; future scenario; stratospheric aerosol injection

Abstract

Using an Earth system model, we simulate stratospheric aerosol injection
(SAI) on top of the Representative Concentration Pathways 8.5 future
scenario. Our idealized method prescribes aerosol concentration, linearly
increasing from 2020 to 2100, and thereafter remaining constant until 2200.
In the aggressive scenario, the model projects a cooling trend toward 2100
despite warming that persists in the high latitudes. Following SAI
termination in 2100, a rapid global warming of 0.35 K yr−1 is simulated in
the subsequent 10 years, and the global mean temperature returns to levels
close to the reference state, though roughly 0.5 K cooler. In contrast to
earlier findings, we show a weak response in the terrestrial carbon sink
during SAI implementation in the 21st century, which we attribute to
nitrogen limitation. The SAI increases the land carbon uptake in the
temperate forest-, grassland-, and shrub-dominated regions. The resultant
lower temperatures lead to a reduction in the heterotrophic respiration
rate and increase soil carbon retention. Changes in precipitation patterns
are key drivers for variability in vegetation carbon. Upon SAI termination,
the level of vegetation carbon storage returns to the reference case,
whereas the soil carbon remains high. The ocean absorbs nearly 10% more
carbon in the geoengineered simulation than in the reference simulation,
leading to a ∼15 ppm lower atmospheric CO2 concentration in 2100. The
largest enhancement in uptake occurs in the North Atlantic. In both
hemispheres' polar regions, SAI delays the sea ice melting and,
consequently, export production remains low. In the deep water of North
Atlantic, SAI-induced circulation changes accelerate the ocean
acidification rate and broaden the affected area.

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