Transient tracer distributions in the Fram Strait in 2012 and inferred anthropogenic carbon content and transport
The storage of anthropogenic carbon in the ocean's interior is an important process which modulates the increasing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. The polar regions are expected to be net sinks for anthropogenic carbon. Transport estimates of dissolved inorganic carbon and the...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:528692a1c8604ca7a5b842da246deff6 2023-05-15T15:15:07+02:00 Transient tracer distributions in the Fram Strait in 2012 and inferred anthropogenic carbon content and transport T. Stöven T. Tanhua M. Hoppema W.-J. von Appen 2016-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-319-2016 https://doaj.org/article/528692a1c8604ca7a5b842da246deff6 EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.ocean-sci.net/12/319/2016/os-12-319-2016.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1812-0784 https://doaj.org/toc/1812-0792 1812-0784 1812-0792 doi:10.5194/os-12-319-2016 https://doaj.org/article/528692a1c8604ca7a5b842da246deff6 Ocean Science, Vol 12, Iss 1, Pp 319-333 (2016) Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-319-2016 2022-12-31T11:52:17Z The storage of anthropogenic carbon in the ocean's interior is an important process which modulates the increasing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. The polar regions are expected to be net sinks for anthropogenic carbon. Transport estimates of dissolved inorganic carbon and the anthropogenic offset can thus provide information about the magnitude of the corresponding storage processes. Here we present a transient tracer, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (TA) data set along 78°50′ N sampled in the Fram Strait in 2012. A theory on tracer relationships is introduced, which allows for an application of the inverse-Gaussian–transit-time distribution (IG-TTD) at high latitudes and the estimation of anthropogenic carbon concentrations. Mean current velocity measurements along the same section from 2002–2010 were used to estimate the net flux of DIC and anthropogenic carbon by the boundary currents above 840 m through the Fram Strait. The new theory explains the differences between the theoretical (IG-TTD-based) tracer age relationship and the specific tracer age relationship of the field data, by saturation effects during water mass formation and/or the deliberate release experiment of SF 6 in the Greenland Sea in 1996, rather than by different mixing or ventilation processes. Based on this assumption, a maximum SF 6 excess of 0.5–0.8 fmol kg −1 was determined in the Fram Strait at intermediate depths (500–1600 m). The anthropogenic carbon concentrations are 50–55 µmol kg −1 in the Atlantic Water/Recirculating Atlantic Water, 40–45 µmol kg −1 in the Polar Surface Water/warm Polar Surface Water and between 10 and 35 µmol kg −1 in the deeper water layers, with lowest concentrations in the bottom layer. The net fluxes through the Fram Strait indicate a net outflow of ∼ 0.4 DIC and ∼ 0.01 PgC yr −1 anthropogenic carbon from the Arctic Ocean into the North Atlantic, albeit with high uncertainties. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Ocean Fram Strait Greenland Greenland Sea North Atlantic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Arctic Ocean Greenland Ocean Science 12 1 319 333 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
spellingShingle |
Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 T. Stöven T. Tanhua M. Hoppema W.-J. von Appen Transient tracer distributions in the Fram Strait in 2012 and inferred anthropogenic carbon content and transport |
topic_facet |
Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
description |
The storage of anthropogenic carbon in the ocean's interior is an important process which modulates the increasing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. The polar regions are expected to be net sinks for anthropogenic carbon. Transport estimates of dissolved inorganic carbon and the anthropogenic offset can thus provide information about the magnitude of the corresponding storage processes. Here we present a transient tracer, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (TA) data set along 78°50′ N sampled in the Fram Strait in 2012. A theory on tracer relationships is introduced, which allows for an application of the inverse-Gaussian–transit-time distribution (IG-TTD) at high latitudes and the estimation of anthropogenic carbon concentrations. Mean current velocity measurements along the same section from 2002–2010 were used to estimate the net flux of DIC and anthropogenic carbon by the boundary currents above 840 m through the Fram Strait. The new theory explains the differences between the theoretical (IG-TTD-based) tracer age relationship and the specific tracer age relationship of the field data, by saturation effects during water mass formation and/or the deliberate release experiment of SF 6 in the Greenland Sea in 1996, rather than by different mixing or ventilation processes. Based on this assumption, a maximum SF 6 excess of 0.5–0.8 fmol kg −1 was determined in the Fram Strait at intermediate depths (500–1600 m). The anthropogenic carbon concentrations are 50–55 µmol kg −1 in the Atlantic Water/Recirculating Atlantic Water, 40–45 µmol kg −1 in the Polar Surface Water/warm Polar Surface Water and between 10 and 35 µmol kg −1 in the deeper water layers, with lowest concentrations in the bottom layer. The net fluxes through the Fram Strait indicate a net outflow of ∼ 0.4 DIC and ∼ 0.01 PgC yr −1 anthropogenic carbon from the Arctic Ocean into the North Atlantic, albeit with high uncertainties. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
T. Stöven T. Tanhua M. Hoppema W.-J. von Appen |
author_facet |
T. Stöven T. Tanhua M. Hoppema W.-J. von Appen |
author_sort |
T. Stöven |
title |
Transient tracer distributions in the Fram Strait in 2012 and inferred anthropogenic carbon content and transport |
title_short |
Transient tracer distributions in the Fram Strait in 2012 and inferred anthropogenic carbon content and transport |
title_full |
Transient tracer distributions in the Fram Strait in 2012 and inferred anthropogenic carbon content and transport |
title_fullStr |
Transient tracer distributions in the Fram Strait in 2012 and inferred anthropogenic carbon content and transport |
title_full_unstemmed |
Transient tracer distributions in the Fram Strait in 2012 and inferred anthropogenic carbon content and transport |
title_sort |
transient tracer distributions in the fram strait in 2012 and inferred anthropogenic carbon content and transport |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-319-2016 https://doaj.org/article/528692a1c8604ca7a5b842da246deff6 |
geographic |
Arctic Arctic Ocean Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Arctic Ocean Greenland |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Ocean Fram Strait Greenland Greenland Sea North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Ocean Fram Strait Greenland Greenland Sea North Atlantic |
op_source |
Ocean Science, Vol 12, Iss 1, Pp 319-333 (2016) |
op_relation |
http://www.ocean-sci.net/12/319/2016/os-12-319-2016.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1812-0784 https://doaj.org/toc/1812-0792 1812-0784 1812-0792 doi:10.5194/os-12-319-2016 https://doaj.org/article/528692a1c8604ca7a5b842da246deff6 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-319-2016 |
container_title |
Ocean Science |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
319 |
op_container_end_page |
333 |
_version_ |
1766345494500474880 |