5 ms·

Bunker fuel is relatively low in terms of CO2 emissions, requires far less energy and emissions to refine, and its use is disallowed anywhere near land. Given

Bunker fuel is relatively low in terms of CO2 emissions, requires far less energy and emissions to refine, and its use is disallowed anywhere near land. Given this, aside from pollution being something we don't like to do in general, there's no particular reason why bunker fuel is worse than something else. Emitting NOx thousands of kilometers from people, plants, or animals isn't really harmful.

mym1990 5y ago
What about the ocean?
- missedthecue 5y ago
  What about it? Since the major sink of methane in the atmosphere is by reaction with OH radicals, the NOx emissions from ship travel leads to a net global cooling, according to Wikipedia. The main threat of NOx is to the respiratory tract of mammals, very few of whom find themselves in the middle of Pacific.
- op00to 5y ago
  It all evens out. As the glaciers melt and sea levels rise, that will dilute the acidification from bunker fuel. (sarcasm)
- dredmorbius 5y ago
  SO2 and NO2 are fairly concentrated along shipping routes, and degrade fairly rapidly in the atmosphere. Concentrations over most regions are fairly limited, though concentrations in coastal regions (which tend to be where marine life congregates) is higher than the average. Their principle risk to humans is as lung irritants when concentrated in air near large populations. As is clear here, the concentrations even along shipping routes are far lower than in urban regions. SO2 (fuel contaminant, notably in bunker fuel and coal): https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/chem/surface/level/overlay=so2smass/winkel3/loc=84.568,2.392 https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/chem/surface/level/ove... NO2 (a result of any combustion using atmospheric air which is 70% nitrogen, not merely a fuel contaminant): https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/chem/surface/level/overlay=no2/winkel3/loc=84.568,2.392 https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/chem/surface/level/ove...
  - mym1990 5y ago
    I appreciate the thorough response! I was genuinely interested in the effects :)
    - dredmorbius 5y ago
      NB: not my specialty, so I've likely missed other effects. Searching scholarly literature for "SO2 impacts on marine life" and "NO2 impacts on marine life" could be illuminating. Sulfur dioxide in particular produces sulfuric acid. Small changes to pH and specific acid/base concentrations of seawater, even if limited to a narrow vertical column, could have large impacts. Say, non floating plankton, especially primary producers. There's also the potential for positive "seeding" effects by introducing limiting nutrients to water, though my understanding is that iron and carbon are more likely to play these roles.
JCharante 5y ago
I was under the impression that animals live in the ocean.
- missedthecue 5y ago
  As it happens, fish seldom travel to the upper atmosphere to take a breath.

mym1990 5y ago

What about the ocean?

missedthecue 5y ago
What about it? Since the major sink of methane in the atmosphere is by reaction with OH radicals, the NOx emissions from ship travel leads to a net global cooling, according to Wikipedia. The main threat of NOx is to the respiratory tract of mammals, very few of whom find themselves in the middle of Pacific.
op00to 5y ago
It all evens out. As the glaciers melt and sea levels rise, that will dilute the acidification from bunker fuel. (sarcasm)
dredmorbius 5y ago
SO2 and NO2 are fairly concentrated along shipping routes, and degrade fairly rapidly in the atmosphere. Concentrations over most regions are fairly limited, though concentrations in coastal regions (which tend to be where marine life congregates) is higher than the average. Their principle risk to humans is as lung irritants when concentrated in air near large populations. As is clear here, the concentrations even along shipping routes are far lower than in urban regions. SO2 (fuel contaminant, notably in bunker fuel and coal): https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/chem/surface/level/overlay=so2smass/winkel3/loc=84.568,2.392 https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/chem/surface/level/ove... NO2 (a result of any combustion using atmospheric air which is 70% nitrogen, not merely a fuel contaminant): https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/chem/surface/level/overlay=no2/winkel3/loc=84.568,2.392 https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/chem/surface/level/ove...
- mym1990 5y ago
  I appreciate the thorough response! I was genuinely interested in the effects :)
  - dredmorbius 5y ago
    NB: not my specialty, so I've likely missed other effects. Searching scholarly literature for "SO2 impacts on marine life" and "NO2 impacts on marine life" could be illuminating. Sulfur dioxide in particular produces sulfuric acid. Small changes to pH and specific acid/base concentrations of seawater, even if limited to a narrow vertical column, could have large impacts. Say, non floating plankton, especially primary producers. There's also the potential for positive "seeding" effects by introducing limiting nutrients to water, though my understanding is that iron and carbon are more likely to play these roles.

JCharante 5y ago

I was under the impression that animals live in the ocean.

missedthecue 5y ago
As it happens, fish seldom travel to the upper atmosphere to take a breath.