600 CVROS Fe LOL MAN. 
Taking, therefore, the coefficient of absorption for sea water 
as given by Dittmar’, we find that at 15° C. the sea water 
dissolves 5.83° of oxygen and 11.34“ of nitrogen and argon, 
which is less than shown by the figures given on page 594 
for the absortion of pure water. We find on comparing these 
figures with the average of the gases as found in the Chal- 
lenger analyses that the amount of the nitrogen and argon 
is near the amount calculated for the temperature of the water 
at the time it was collectéd, as we might expect in view of the 
mixing, etc., it undergoes. The oxygen, however, is always low, 
as it is used up in the oxidation of the organic matter in the 
ocean. It is almost up to the calculated amount in the surface 
water but a very large deficit in the deeper water. We may 
suppose, then, that the above figure for nitrogen and argon is 
approximately correct, but that the oxygen figure is considerably 
too high. 
It is evident that we have a very different case to deal with 
in the solution of the CO, inthe ocean. We have already found 
three ways in which the gas is held in solution. (1) Simple 
physical absorption; (2) united with the water to form (H,CO, ); 
(3) held by equilibrium reactions with the salt ions. The total 
that can be held in these three ways at atmospheric partial pres- 
sure of the gas and at the average temperature of 15° is about 
0.3, of (COs per liter onescaywater: 
Now, under the assumption that the partial pressure of 
the CO, increases with the depth of the ocean; and that the 
rate of this increase obeys the same laws as the increase of 
atmospheric pressure with the depth of the atmosphere, and, 
taking the average depth of the ocean at the large figure of 
three miles, we find a formula developed by Professor Woodward ” 
that the pressure at that depth is 4.4 that at sea level. Also assum- 
ing that a//the ocean is at a temperature of 0° C. (instead of only 
the portion at great depths) we find as a maximum estimate the 
ocean cannot hold over 2.4° CO, per liter dissolved as a gas, 
TAL OCUCIt ep 13 Os 
?Communicated in a letter to Dr. Chamberlin. 
