Abstract
A PARAGRAPH in NATURE of April 23, p. 607, refers to a paper in which the Russian geologist W. Vernadsky states that carbon dioxide is in a stable liquid state in the depths of the ocean. He assumes that this may be the reason why there are no appreciable amounts of plankton below about two hundred metres. It must be remarked that the carbon dioxide is physically dissolved in the sea water, therefore the laws of gases do not apply. The pressure would only be of importance if springs of carbon dioxide exist on the bottom of the deep sea; in this case the carbon dioxide would issue as a liquid but quickly be dissolved by the water. According to the results of the Meteor expedition, it seems highly improbable that such sources of carbon dioxide are present in the ocean at least, in the Atlantic.
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References
Cf. K. Buch, H. W. Harvey, H. Wattenberg, and St. Gripenberg, The CO2 System of Seawater, Rapp. et Proc. Verb. Cons. Internat. pour l‘explor. de la Mer; 1932.
Ber. d. Meteor Expedition, 2, Ges. f. Erdk. Berlin; 1927.
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WATTENBERG, H. Liquid Carbon Dioxide in the Depths of the Ocean. Nature 130, 26 (1932). https://doi.org/10.1038/130026c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/130026c0
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