Lecture 6 – Mass Balance questions and answers

(1) Only one of the following is the essential approximation made when assuming
steady state:

a. ocean inputs from rivers equals the particle flux out of the euphotic zone
b. the concentration does not change with time
c. the removal flux must be proportional to how much is there.
d. the river input must equal the atmospheric input.

(2) Element A has a residence time of 1Ma and element B has a residence time of 10 Ma.
The only input source for both elements to the ocean is river input. Due to a major change
in the climate the river flux to the ocean has doubled:

(a) It would take element A 10 times longer than element B to reach its new steady
state in the ocean
(b) Since both element input doubled at the same time they would reach their new
steady state at the same time.
(c) The elements concentration in the ocean would not change with time.
(d) Element B with the long residence time will reach the new steady state slower.
(e) Both elements will arrive to the new steady state after 1 residence time, for
element A after 1Ma and for element B after 10Ma

(3) Siegenthaler and Sarmiento (1993) have presented box models of the global carbon
cycle for pre-industrial (PI) times and the present (1980-89). These are shown below.
Answer the following questions and show all your work and calculations.

a) Was atmospheric CO2 in steady state in pre-industrial times? Yes

b) Is atmospheric CO2 in steady state at present (1980-1989)? No
c) What is the residence time of atmospheric CO2 for PI conditions? 3.4 years
d) What was the residence time of carbon in biota in the surface ocean in PI time? 0.3year
(4) What does residence time mean for an element? Calculate the oceanic residence time
with respect to river input for Ca+2 and Mg+2.
ocean volume: 1.37 x 1021 liters
world average river runoff rate: 3.6 x 1016 liters/year
Ca2+ in rivers 3.6 x 10-4 moles/kg in the ocean 10.3 x 10-3 moles/kg
Mg+2 in rivers 1.6 x 10-4 moles/kg in the ocean 5.3 x 10-2 moles/kg
What assumptions are presumed in the definition of residence time?

(a) Residence time represents the average time an element spends in a reservoir before it
is being removed (this is equivalent to the time it would take to fill the reservoir to the
observed level if it were empty).

(b) The ratio of the content (M) of a reservoir divided by the sum of its sources (SQ) or
sinks (SS). Thus t = M/SQ or t = M/S S

For Ca: (1.37 x 1021 x 10.3 x 10-3)/ (3.6 x 1016 x 3.6 x 10-4) = 1.08 Ma
For Mg: (1.37 x 1021 x 5.3 x 10-2)/ (3.6 x 1016 x 1.6 x 10-4) = 12.6 Ma

Steady state is assumed.

(5) During the last ice age, some scientists (e.g. Froelich et al., 1992) believe that the
river input increased by a factor of two. On the other hand, based on evidence that the
climate was drier other researchers suggest that the river input was reduced by up to a
factor of two. How would these two scenarios affect the residence time calculation for
elements in the ocean. Assume that only the runoff rate changed, and that the elemental
concentration of river water was constant from glacial to the present.

Residence time is the total amount in the reservoir divided by the total flux in or out. As
input increases residence time decreases and when input decreases residence time
increases.

(6) Due to the cold, wet weather in the Bay Area during the winter, many residents fly to the
warm, arid beaches of Cancun, Mexico. Custom officials report that 5,000 of us fly there
each week in the wintertime. Mexicans from the big city enjoy the beaches too, and local
papers indicate that 5,000 Mexico City residents also go to the beaches of Cancun every
week. However, there are four times as many Californians on the beach compared to those
from Mexico City. How can you account for this difference using a fundamental
oceanographic principle? Be quantitative, assume that this is a steady state situation, and
that both populations are on the beach if they are in Cancun.

t = M/SQ M = X mexicans; M = 4X californians; Q = 5000/week

t = # of people/ flux; This suggests that the residence time for the Bay Area people is 4
times that of the locals, they stay longer in Cancun.
(7) What is the effect of river water diversion on the water balance of marginal seas and
other seas with limited connection to the oceans? Lets look at the Red Sea as an example
to test a hypothetical situation (but some of these numbers are made up). The surrounding
nations of Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and Saudia Arabia are intent on exploiting all sources of
water for irrigation. Current runoff to the Red Sea (rivers + groundwater) is 2.5 x 1011
m3/y. Direct precipitation to the surface is 1.25 x 1011 m3/y and evaporation is 1 x 1012
m3/yr; both remain unchanged. Some amount of seawater enters from the Arabian Sea
through the strait of Bab el Mandeb, but the total volume of the Red Sea is at steady state.
The surface area is 0.5 x 1012 m2 and the total volume of water is 0.25 x 1015 m3.

a. Draw a sketch box model of the present situation. Label all the fluxes.
b. Write the mass balance equation for water at steady state.
c. Calculate the total residence time of water in the Red Sea and the residence time with
respect to Arabian Sea input.
d. The total effect of the river diversion project is to reduce total runoff to 10% of its
current value. Calculate the new flux of water from the Arabian Sea and the new
residence time of the Red Sea with respect to Arabian Sea inflow.

precipitation evaporation
Runoff
Arabian Sea
Red Sea

Runoff + precipitation + Arabian Sea = evaporation

0.25 x 1015/ 1 x 1012 = 250 years; 0.25 x 1015/ 6.25 x 1011 = 400 years

Runoff after diversion is 0.9 X 2.5 x 1011 = 2.25 x 1011; To maintain steady state the
Arabian Sea input must be now 6.5 x 1011. Thus the new residence time is 385 years.

(8). Element “X” is at steady state in the contemporary ocean with a concentration of 1.0
x 10-3 mol L-1 (M). The main input is from rivers and the main removal is by the stripping
of X from seawater during hydrothermal circulation (concentration of X in the return
flow from the vents to the ocean is zero). The following information is available:

Volume of ocean 1.4 x 1021 L

River Flow: 3.2 x 1016 L year-1
Concentration of X in rivers 1.0 x 10-4 M
Concentration of X in seawater 1.0 x 10-3 M

a. Calculate the residence time of X with respect to total (e.g. river) inputs.
b. Set up the mass balance equation (sources = sinks) for X. Calculate the rate of water
flow through the hydrothermal circulation that would have to exist for this to be a steady
state system.
A change in climate patterns results in a new significant source of X to the ocean in the
form of atmospheric deposition. Some phytoplankton in the surface ocean biota respond
to the enhanced input by building their shells out of X, resulting in a new sedimentation
flux as a sink of X from the ocean. The rate of water flow in the hydrothermal system is
unchanged.

Rate of atmospheric deposition of X 2.0 x 1012 mol year-1

Rate of burial of X in sediments 0.5 x 1012 mol year-1

c. Set up the new mass balance equation for X. Calculate the concentration of X in
seawater once the ocean reached its new steady state.
d. Calculate the new residence time of X with respect to total inputs.

(a) (1.4 x 1021 x 1.0 x 10-3) / (3.2 x 1016 x 1.0 x 10-4) = 437,500 years

(b) (3.2 x 1016 x 1.0 x 10-4) = (1.0 x 10-3 x Fhydrothhermal); F = 3.2 x 1015

(c) (3.2 x 1016 x 1.0 x 10-4) + (2.0 x 1012) = (X x 3.2 x 1015) + (0.5 x 1012);
X = 1.47 x 10-3 M

(d) (1.4 x 1021 x 1.47 x 10-3) / (3.2 x 1016 x 1.0 x 10-4) + (2.0 x 1012) = 395,769 years

(9) Dissolved silica (SiO2) is supplied to the oceans by the weathering of silicate minerals. If the
average river water concentration is 10.4 mg/kg, and the average seawater concentration is 6.2
mg/kg, what is the residence time of silica in the ocean? (The mass of the ocean is approximately
1.4 X 1021 kg, and the river flux is about 4.6 x 1016 kg/yr).

Dissolved silica is used by organisms living in surface waters to make skeletons and
protective chambers. Thus its concentration in surface waters its typically low compared
with deep waters. If surface concentrations are 0.52 mg/kg, and deep water
concentrations are 16.6 mg/kg, what fraction of the silica entering the surface waters
leaves as particulate material, and what fraction of the silica in the particulate matter
survives dissolution in the deep sea and is buried as opaline sediment? What is the mass
of silica deposited each year?
Residence time = inventory/ input flux
(6.2 x 1.4 x 1021)/ (10.4 x 4.6 x 1016) = 18,143 years
Need to calculate g and f
Determine Cs/Cr = 0.05; and Cd/Cr = 1.596
g = 0.969
f = 0.02
The mass of silica deposited each year must be equal to the river flux = 4.784 x 1014 grams/year