Carbon exchanges through the strait of Gibraltar

• Main Authors: Huertas, I. Emma, Rodríguez-Gálvez, Susana, Makaoui, Ahmed, García-Lafuente, Jesús, Sánchez-Román, Antonio, Ríos, Aida F., Zizah, S., Orbi, A., Ruiz, J.
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/330223

Symposium GLOBEC–IMBER España, Valencia, 28-30 marzo 2007 Although the role of the ocean in global climate is not fully understood, there is general agreement that it is significant, particularly through its involvement in the exchange of CO2 with the atmosphere. It is well established that the atmospheric CO2 concentration has been increasing for many decades due to anthropogenic activities and although the ocean is believed to be removing much of it, the actual extent of CO2 uptake by the marine environment remains a question. Therefore, many efforts are being directed towards investigating the participation of the ocean in the carbon sequestration, the consequences of the CO2 rise on the marine ecosystems and the associated feedbacks with the terrestrial systems. In this sense, the European Integrated Project CARBOOCEAN is aimed at determining the ocean’s quantitative role for uptake of CO2 since the correct estimation of this sink is a fundamental necessary condition for all realistic prognostic climate simulations. As part of the project, the exchange of carbon through the Strait of Gibraltar is being studied since it is through this channel where both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean mix and interact, transferring substances and energy that must be considered in the assessment of matter inventories in the North Atlantic. Therefore, the variables involved in the CO2 system in the Strait of Gibraltar are currently being examined extensively in order to monitor their temporal variability and determine the mechanisms controlling the carbon fluxes between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean basin. This work presents the results obtained in five campaigns performed in the area that have allowed to estimate the fluxes of total inorganic carbon through the Strait No