Ucwaningo olwenziwe ngabaphenyi abavela ku-II-University Institute for Water Research kanye noMnyango Wezemvelo wase-University of Granada kukhombisa ukuthi umnikelo wothuli ovela ogwadule lwaseSahara uyakwazi ukukhulisa indima yoLwandle iMedithera njenge-CO2 sink.
Yini isinki ye-CO2? Yindawo okuyiyo ikwazi ukumunca i-CO2 emkhathini futhi ingayibuyiseli kumjikelezo futhi, kepha leyo CO2 ishiya ukujikeleza komkhathi.
Lolu cwaningo lwenziwe ngaphakathi kwephrojekthi IZIMPAWU kukhombisa ukuthi uLwandle iMedithera lusebenza njengosinki we-CO2 esemkhathini ezindaweni ezivulekile zolwandle. Inesibopho sokususa i-CO2 emjikelezweni kulezi zindawo, kepha isebenza njengomthombo we-CO2 ogwini lapho ikwazi ukuyikhiqiza khona.
Kusukela kulokhu okutholakele, kwenziwe umzamo wokuhlola ukuthi lezi zinhlelo zemvelo ezisebenza njengamasinki nemithombo ye-CO2 zizophendula kanjani ukwanda kokungena kothuli okuvela eSahara kanye nasemisebeni ye-ultraviolet. Ukubaluleka kokuhlola ukuphendula kwalezi zinhlelo zemvelo kulezi ziguquko kuxhomeke ekutheni yizici ezibaluleke kakhulu zokushintsha komhlaba ezithinta isifunda saseMedithera.
Imiphumela yokuhlolwa okwenziwe in situ ubufakazi bokwazi kwe-algae ku- ukwazi ukumunca i-CO2 emkhathini ngakho-ke usebenze njengosinki. Umbhali walo mbiko nguMarco Jabalera Cabrerizo, futhi usebenza eMnyangweni Wezemvelo e-University of Granada.
Umcwaningi ugqamise ukuthi emashumini eminyaka amuva ukungena kwezintuli zaseSahara kanye nokwanda kokuchayeka emisebeni ye-ultraviolet kungakhula indima yoLwandle iMedithera njengomlawuli wamazinga e-CO2 kungekudala esizayo. Kungakho imiphumela yalezi zifundo ibaluleke kakhulu uma siyibeka esimweni sokushintsha kwesimo sezulu njengamanje ngoba ingasitshela ukuthi ngabe imvelo yasolwandle izosebenza njengosinki be-CO2 noma njengomthombo ngokuzayo.