@mike_malaska@deepspace.social
2026-03-11 01:44 UTC
Slow particles have active microbes, but not much water flow, so aerobic respiration (needing O2 dissolved in water) kinda shuts down. Slow diffusion of O2 restricts microbial growth. Local CO2 release from local microbial growth kinda weak. Not much dissolution.
Fast speed has another problem. Great delivery of O2 to microbes, but any local CO2 (acidic) release is whooshed and diluted away by fast moving water. Great growth, but not much dissolution.
Replies (1)
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@mike_malaska@deepspace.social 2026-03-11 01:47
Right there in the middle you have the perfect optimum: Fast enough delivery of dissolved oxygen to support good microbial metabolism (and CO2 release) but not so fast that the CO2 released gets flushed away. You can local high concentrations that just dissolve up any calcite (or aragonite).