The oceans absorb nearly 25% of the CO₂ emissions caused by human activity, thus acting as a climate moderator. But this absorption comes at a cost, as it leads to the gradual acidification of the water and weakens many marine ecosystems.
Faced with this phenomenon, scientists still lack robust data. Accurately monitoring these transformations is proving to be a scientific challenge, particularly in remote regions where surveys are rare. Until now, observations have depended on fixed stations or costly and occasional campaigns at sea. To fill this gap, a team of researchers from the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), in collaboration with engineers from Advanced Offshore Operations and 4H JENA Engineering, has developed a system capable of continuously measuring CO₂ dissolved in water using a Seaglider, an autonomous underwater vehicle. Their results, published in the journal Ocean Science, pave the way for a better understanding of ocean-atmosphere interactions and more effective monitoring of the oceanic absorption of carbon and other greenhouse gases, particularly methane.