Exploring the Role of the Amazon in the Earth’s Climate System: A Large-Scale Oceanographic Campaign off the Coast of Brazil

, but it is important to understand how it may be affected by climate change and the potential risks it poses.

The Amaryllis-Amagas mission aims to collect data and samples to better understand the role of the Amazon region in the Earth’s climate system. The scientists on board the Marion Dufresne will use various techniques such as marine sediment coring, atmospheric dust collection, and water sampling to study the region’s climatic history and the influence of Saharan dust in fertilizing Amazonian soils.

One of the main objectives of the mission is to collect sediment cores that can provide insights into the region’s climatic variations over several million years. The Marion Dufresne is equipped with a giant corer called Calypso, which allows the collection of sediment cores up to 70 meters in length. These cores will help researchers reconstruct past climates and understand how the Amazon region has evolved in a slightly warmer climate than today.

Additionally, the mission will study the formation of gas hydrates, which are frozen water cages containing gas molecules, primarily methane. These gas hydrates are considered to be a significant carbon reserve, and their release into the oceans due to rising temperatures and pressures could have significant implications for climate change. The mission will investigate the potential risks associated with the release of these gases, including underwater landslides and the formation of tsunamis.

The Amaryllis-Amagas mission brings together scientists, students, technicians, and crew members from various French, Brazilian, German, and Swedish laboratories and universities. The research conducted during this mission will contribute to a better understanding of the Amazon region’s role in the Earth’s climate system and the potential impacts of climate change on this vital ecosystem.

Title: Oceanographic Campaign Explores the Role of the Amazon in Earth’s Climate System

Subtitle: Scientists embark on a 49-day mission to study the Amazon region’s impact on climate change

Date: May 16, 2023

Location: Off the coast of Brazil

A team of scientists, students, technicians, and crew members have embarked on a large-scale oceanographic campaign off the coast of Brazil to gain a better understanding of the Amazon region’s role in the Earth’s climate system. The campaign, named Amaryllis-Amagas, will continue until July 3 and involves various research activities such as marine sediment coring, atmospheric dust collection, and water sampling.

The Amazon region is known for its rich biodiversity, housing over 10,000 species of trees and representing half of the remaining primary forests on Earth. It also serves as a significant carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of the world’s terrestrial carbon. Recognizing the region’s importance, the scientists aim to study its climatic history and the impact of Saharan dust on soil fertilization.

One of the key objectives of the campaign is to collect sediment cores from the ocean floor. These cores provide valuable information about past climates, allowing scientists to reconstruct climatic variations over millions of years. The French oceanographic ship, Marion Dufresne, equipped with a specialized corer called Calypso, is capable of collecting sediment cores up to 70 meters in length, enabling researchers to study the region’s climatic variations in unprecedented detail.

The sediment cores also contain gases, including gas hydrates, which are frozen water cages containing methane. Gas hydrates are considered a significant carbon reserve, and their stability is highly sensitive to changes in pressure and temperature. With rising ocean levels and warming waters, the release of these gases could contribute to increased carbon emissions. Furthermore, the release of gases from the sediments could weaken their cohesion, leading to underwater landslides and potentially triggering tsunamis.

By studying the Amazon region’s climatic history and the dynamics of gas hydrates, the scientists hope to gain insights into how the Earth’s climate system has evolved and how it may respond to future changes. The findings from this oceanographic campaign will contribute to more accurate climate projections and help policymakers develop strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

The Amaryllis-Amagas mission brings together scientists and researchers from twenty French, Brazilian, German, and Swedish laboratories and universities. Their collaborative efforts aim to shed light on the Amazon region’s crucial role in the Earth’s climate system and provide valuable data for climate research and conservation efforts.

Image source: [1]
Image description: Researchers collecting aerosols from the ship’s weather mast, which are composed of microparticles of clay carried by trade winds from West Africa and the Sahara.

References:
[1] “Coupled atmosphere ocean: Topics by…” WorldWideScience.org, URL: https://worldwidescience.org/topicpages/c/coupled+atmosphere+ocean.htmlTitle: Oceanographic Campaign Explores Amazon’s Role in Earth’s Climate System

Date: June 19, 2023

Marine sediment coring, atmospheric dust collection, and water sampling are part of a large-scale oceanographic campaign currently taking place off the coast of Brazil. The campaign, known as Amaryllis-Amagas, aims to better understand the role played by the Amazon region in the Earth’s climate system. The campaign, which began on May 16, 2023, will continue until July 3.

Led by scientists, students, technicians, and crew members aboard the French Oceanographic Fleet’s ship, the Marion Dufresne, the mission will collect data and samples for 49 days. The researchers will focus on the continental margin of the Amazon and northeast Brazil, studying the submerged continuity of the continent up to the abyssal plains.

The Amazon region is of great significance due to its rich biodiversity, housing over 10,000 species of trees. It represents half of the remaining primary forests on Earth and serves as a quarter of the terrestrial carbon sink. The region is also emblematic of ongoing climate change.

The campaign will utilize various techniques, including sediment and water sampling, temperature readings, atmospheric dust collection, and acoustic imagery. These methods aim to reconstruct the climatic history of the region, analyze gases formed in marine sediment accumulations, and observe the impact of Saharan dust, which fertilizes the soil.

One of the primary objectives of the campaign is to study the climatic variations of the region over several million years. To achieve this, the Marion Dufresne is equipped with a unique coring system called Calypso, allowing the collection of sediment cores up to 70 meters in length. These sediment cores will provide valuable insights into past climates, including the last interglacial period around 125,000 years ago.

The Amazon, known for its massive water and sediment flow, accumulates sediment offshore in what is called the Amazon cone. By studying these sediments, researchers can access information about vegetation, precipitation, erosion, and sources of sediments on the continent, providing a comprehensive understanding of how these indicators have evolved over time.

Additionally, the campaign aims to investigate gas hydrates, which are formed under pressure within the sediment layers. Gas hydrates are frozen water cages containing gas molecules, primarily methane. Understanding these ultra-sensitive carbon reserves is crucial for predicting future scenarios and studying the Earth’s response to climate variations.

The Amaryllis-Amagas campaign brings together scientists and researchers from twenty French, Brazilian, German, and Swedish laboratories and universities. Their collaborative efforts will contribute to a better understanding of the Amazon region’s role in the Earth’s climate system and provide valuable insights into past and future climate variations.

Overall, this oceanographic campaign represents a significant step forward in climate research, shedding light on the Amazon’s importance and its impact on the Earth’s climate system.

What potential risks are associated with the release of gas hydrates in the Amazon region due to climate change, and how does this impact carbon emissions and the formation of tsunamis

Ing, to study the region’s climatic history and understand the impacts of climate change. By collecting sediment cores from the ocean floor, the researchers aim to reconstruct past climates and analyze climatic variations over millions of years. The Marion Dufresne is equipped with a specialized corer called Calypso, which allows for the collection of sediment cores up to 70 meters in length, providing detailed insights into the region’s climatic variations.

In addition to studying past climates, the mission will also investigate the formation and stability of gas hydrates in the region. Gas hydrates are frozen water cages containing methane and are considered a significant carbon reserve. However, their stability is sensitive to changes in pressure and temperature. With rising ocean levels and warming waters, the release of these gases could contribute to increased carbon emissions. The researchers will analyze the potential risks associated with the release of these gases, including underwater landslides and the formation of tsunamis.

The Amaryllis-Amagas mission is a collaborative effort involving scientists, students, technicians, and crew members from various French, Brazilian, German, and Swedish laboratories and universities. Their work aims to gain a better understanding of the Amazon region’s role in the Earth’s climate system and the potential impacts of climate change on this vital ecosystem.

The findings from this oceanographic campaign will contribute to a more accurate understanding of climate projections and assist policymakers in developing strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change. By studying the Amazon region’s climatic history and the dynamics of gas hydrates, the scientists hope to provide valuable data for climate research and conservation efforts.

Overall, the Amaryllis-Amagas mission is focused on studying the Amazon region’s impact on climate change and the potential risks it poses. Through the collection of sediment cores and the investigation of gas hydrates, the scientists aim to enhance our understanding of the Earth’s climate system and contribute to effective climate change mitigation strategies.