Technical note: Interpreting pH changes

<p>The number and quality of ocean pH measurements have increased substantially over the past few decades such that trends, variability, and spatial patterns of change are now being evaluated. However, comparing pH changes across domains with different initial pH values can be misleading becau...

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Main Authors: A. J. Fassbender, J. C. Orr, A. G. Dickson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2021-02-01
Series:Biogeosciences
Online Access:https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/18/1407/2021/bg-18-1407-2021.pdf
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spelling doaj-bbae80f5e0c741c8ac5e53b47e322bf02021-02-24T07:05:19ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892021-02-01181407141510.5194/bg-18-1407-2021Technical note: Interpreting pH changesA. J. Fassbender0J. C. Orr1A. G. Dickson2Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, 7700 Sandholdt Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USALSCE/IPSL, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Gif-sur-Yvette, FranceScripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA<p>The number and quality of ocean pH measurements have increased substantially over the past few decades such that trends, variability, and spatial patterns of change are now being evaluated. However, comparing pH changes across domains with different initial pH values can be misleading because a pH change reflects a relative change in the hydrogen ion concentration ([H<span class="inline-formula"><sup>+</sup></span>], expressed in mol kg<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>) rather than an absolute change in [H<span class="inline-formula"><sup>+</sup></span>]. We recommend that [H<span class="inline-formula"><sup>+</sup></span>] be used in addition to pH when describing such changes and provide three examples illustrating why.</p>https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/18/1407/2021/bg-18-1407-2021.pdf
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author A. J. Fassbender
J. C. Orr
A. G. Dickson
spellingShingle A. J. Fassbender
J. C. Orr
A. G. Dickson
Technical note: Interpreting pH changes
Biogeosciences
author_facet A. J. Fassbender
J. C. Orr
A. G. Dickson
author_sort A. J. Fassbender
title Technical note: Interpreting pH changes
title_short Technical note: Interpreting pH changes
title_full Technical note: Interpreting pH changes
title_fullStr Technical note: Interpreting pH changes
title_full_unstemmed Technical note: Interpreting pH changes
title_sort technical note: interpreting ph changes
publisher Copernicus Publications
series Biogeosciences
issn 1726-4170
1726-4189
publishDate 2021-02-01
description <p>The number and quality of ocean pH measurements have increased substantially over the past few decades such that trends, variability, and spatial patterns of change are now being evaluated. However, comparing pH changes across domains with different initial pH values can be misleading because a pH change reflects a relative change in the hydrogen ion concentration ([H<span class="inline-formula"><sup>+</sup></span>], expressed in mol kg<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>) rather than an absolute change in [H<span class="inline-formula"><sup>+</sup></span>]. We recommend that [H<span class="inline-formula"><sup>+</sup></span>] be used in addition to pH when describing such changes and provide three examples illustrating why.</p>
url https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/18/1407/2021/bg-18-1407-2021.pdf
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