Mysterious acidic zone 13,000 feet below ocean surface is enlarging. This will impact countries like...

A new research has made an astonishing discovery of the mysterious acidic zone expanding rapidly at 13,000 feet (4,000 metres) below the ocean surface which is likely to have a severe impact on some parts of the Earth.

The acidic zone, which is also known as thecarbonate compensation depth, is present in the deepest parts of the ocean and has low temperatures combined with high pressure.

The zone is known to create conditions which dissolve calcium carbonate - the material that is used for creating shells by marine animals.

However, this theory stands in contrast with the idea that ocean acidification of surface waterhappens because the carbon dioxide released from the burning of fossil fuels is absorbed by the oceans.

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The researchers argue that the two theories are linked as the increase in the carbon dioxide concentrations in the ocean decreases the water body's pH and increases the rate at which calcium carbonate dissolves in the deep-sea area.

The transition zone in which calcium carbonate turns chemically unstable and starts to dissolve is known as the lysocline.

Since the ocean seabed is almost flat, if the lysocline rises by some meters it leads to the rapid creation of large under-saturated (acidic) areas.

According to the research, this zone has increased by nearly 100 metres since pre-industrial times and is likely to further rise by hundreds of metres in this century.

It is expected that the ocean floor's millions of square kilometres will go through a rapid transition in which calcareous sediment will turn chemically unstable and eventually dissolve.

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The lysocline transition zone's upper limit is called the calcite saturation depth above which seabed sediments are filled with calcium carbonate and ocean water remains supersaturated with it.

The calcite compensation depth is the seabed's lower limit below which seabed sediments store little or no carbonate minerals.

Which countries will be impacted by acidic zones?

Some of the countries' exclusive economic zones will be majorly impacted by the acidic zone in comparison to others. Usually, oceanic and island nations suffer major losses while countries that have large continental shelves lose less comparatively.

The scientists have predicted that Bermuda's EEZ will be most impacted by the calcite compensation depth's 980-feet rise above the present level and 68 per cent of the seabed of the country will get submerged below the lysocline.

In comparison, just 6 per cent of the US EEZ and 0.39 per cent of the Russian EEZ will be impacted by the rise of calcite compensation depth.

(With inputs from agencies)