Water masses as a unifying framework for understanding the Southern Ocean Carbon Cycle
The scientific motivation for this study is to understand the processes in the ocean interior controlling carbon transfer across 30° S. To address this, we have developed a unified framework for understanding the interplay between physical drivers such as buoyancy fluxes and ocean mixing, and carbon...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:55a08c59e6464a698114ca05d05950ec 2023-05-15T13:54:42+02:00 Water masses as a unifying framework for understanding the Southern Ocean Carbon Cycle D. Iudicone K. B. Rodgers I. Stendardo O. Aumont G. Madec L. Bopp O. Mangoni M. Ribera d'Alcala' 2011-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-1031-2011 https://doaj.org/article/55a08c59e6464a698114ca05d05950ec EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.biogeosciences.net/8/1031/2011/bg-8-1031-2011.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4170 https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4189 doi:10.5194/bg-8-1031-2011 1726-4170 1726-4189 https://doaj.org/article/55a08c59e6464a698114ca05d05950ec Biogeosciences, Vol 8, Iss 5, Pp 1031-1052 (2011) Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2011 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-1031-2011 2022-12-31T15:02:43Z The scientific motivation for this study is to understand the processes in the ocean interior controlling carbon transfer across 30° S. To address this, we have developed a unified framework for understanding the interplay between physical drivers such as buoyancy fluxes and ocean mixing, and carbon-specific processes such as biology, gas exchange and carbon mixing. Given the importance of density in determining the ocean interior structure and circulation, the framework is one that is organized by density and water masses, and it makes combined use of Eulerian and Lagrangian diagnostics. This is achieved through application to a global ice-ocean circulation model and an ocean biogeochemistry model, with both components being part of the widely-used IPSL coupled ocean/atmosphere/carbon cycle model. Our main new result is the dominance of the overturning circulation (identified by water masses) in setting the vertical distribution of carbon transport from the Southern Ocean towards the global ocean. A net contrast emerges between the role of Subantarctic Mode Water (SAMW), associated with large northward transport and ingassing, and Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW), associated with a much smaller export and outgassing. The differences in their export rate reflects differences in their water mass formation processes. For SAMW, two-thirds of the surface waters are provided as a result of the densification of thermocline water (TW), and upon densification this water carries with it a substantial diapycnal flux of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). For AAIW, principal formatin processes include buoyancy forcing and mixing, with these serving to lighten CDW. An additional important formation pathway of AAIW is through the effect of interior processing (mixing, including cabelling) that serve to densify SAMW. A quantitative evaluation of the contribution of mixing, biology and gas exchange to the DIC evolution per water mass reveals that mixing and, secondarily, gas exchange, effectively nearly balance biology on ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Southern Ocean Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Southern Ocean Biogeosciences 8 5 1031 1052 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 D. Iudicone K. B. Rodgers I. Stendardo O. Aumont G. Madec L. Bopp O. Mangoni M. Ribera d'Alcala' Water masses as a unifying framework for understanding the Southern Ocean Carbon Cycle |
topic_facet |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
The scientific motivation for this study is to understand the processes in the ocean interior controlling carbon transfer across 30° S. To address this, we have developed a unified framework for understanding the interplay between physical drivers such as buoyancy fluxes and ocean mixing, and carbon-specific processes such as biology, gas exchange and carbon mixing. Given the importance of density in determining the ocean interior structure and circulation, the framework is one that is organized by density and water masses, and it makes combined use of Eulerian and Lagrangian diagnostics. This is achieved through application to a global ice-ocean circulation model and an ocean biogeochemistry model, with both components being part of the widely-used IPSL coupled ocean/atmosphere/carbon cycle model. Our main new result is the dominance of the overturning circulation (identified by water masses) in setting the vertical distribution of carbon transport from the Southern Ocean towards the global ocean. A net contrast emerges between the role of Subantarctic Mode Water (SAMW), associated with large northward transport and ingassing, and Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW), associated with a much smaller export and outgassing. The differences in their export rate reflects differences in their water mass formation processes. For SAMW, two-thirds of the surface waters are provided as a result of the densification of thermocline water (TW), and upon densification this water carries with it a substantial diapycnal flux of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). For AAIW, principal formatin processes include buoyancy forcing and mixing, with these serving to lighten CDW. An additional important formation pathway of AAIW is through the effect of interior processing (mixing, including cabelling) that serve to densify SAMW. A quantitative evaluation of the contribution of mixing, biology and gas exchange to the DIC evolution per water mass reveals that mixing and, secondarily, gas exchange, effectively nearly balance biology on ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
D. Iudicone K. B. Rodgers I. Stendardo O. Aumont G. Madec L. Bopp O. Mangoni M. Ribera d'Alcala' |
author_facet |
D. Iudicone K. B. Rodgers I. Stendardo O. Aumont G. Madec L. Bopp O. Mangoni M. Ribera d'Alcala' |
author_sort |
D. Iudicone |
title |
Water masses as a unifying framework for understanding the Southern Ocean Carbon Cycle |
title_short |
Water masses as a unifying framework for understanding the Southern Ocean Carbon Cycle |
title_full |
Water masses as a unifying framework for understanding the Southern Ocean Carbon Cycle |
title_fullStr |
Water masses as a unifying framework for understanding the Southern Ocean Carbon Cycle |
title_full_unstemmed |
Water masses as a unifying framework for understanding the Southern Ocean Carbon Cycle |
title_sort |
water masses as a unifying framework for understanding the southern ocean carbon cycle |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-1031-2011 https://doaj.org/article/55a08c59e6464a698114ca05d05950ec |
geographic |
Antarctic Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Southern Ocean |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Southern Ocean |
op_source |
Biogeosciences, Vol 8, Iss 5, Pp 1031-1052 (2011) |
op_relation |
http://www.biogeosciences.net/8/1031/2011/bg-8-1031-2011.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4170 https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4189 doi:10.5194/bg-8-1031-2011 1726-4170 1726-4189 https://doaj.org/article/55a08c59e6464a698114ca05d05950ec |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-8-1031-2011 |
container_title |
Biogeosciences |
container_volume |
8 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
1031 |
op_container_end_page |
1052 |
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1766260773038850048 |