Analysis of a 39-year continuous atmospheric CO 2 record from Baring Head, New Zealand
We present an analysis of a 39-year record of continuous atmospheric CO 2 observations made at Baring Head, New Zealand, filtered for steady background CO 2 mole fractions during southerly wind conditions. We discuss relationships between variability in the filtered CO 2 time series and regional to...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:71a3b62560f940b48852a82b6f008f7a 2023-05-15T18:22:19+02:00 Analysis of a 39-year continuous atmospheric CO 2 record from Baring Head, New Zealand B. B. Stephens G. W. Brailsford A. J. Gomez K. Riedel S. E. Mikaloff Fletcher S. Nichol M. Manning 2013-04-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-2683-2013 https://doaj.org/article/71a3b62560f940b48852a82b6f008f7a EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.biogeosciences.net/10/2683/2013/bg-10-2683-2013.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4170 https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4189 doi:10.5194/bg-10-2683-2013 1726-4170 1726-4189 https://doaj.org/article/71a3b62560f940b48852a82b6f008f7a Biogeosciences, Vol 10, Iss 4, Pp 2683-2697 (2013) Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2013 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-2683-2013 2022-12-31T05:27:37Z We present an analysis of a 39-year record of continuous atmospheric CO 2 observations made at Baring Head, New Zealand, filtered for steady background CO 2 mole fractions during southerly wind conditions. We discuss relationships between variability in the filtered CO 2 time series and regional to global carbon cycling. Baring Head is well situated to sample air that has been isolated from terrestrial influences over the Southern Ocean, and experiences extended episodes of strong southerly winds with low CO 2 variability. The filtered Baring Head CO 2 record reveals an average seasonal cycle with amplitude of 0.95 ppm that is 13% smaller and 3 weeks earlier in phase than that at the South Pole. Seasonal variations in a given year are sensitive to the timing and magnitude of the combined influences of Southern Ocean CO 2 fluxes and terrestrial fluxes from both hemispheres. The amplitude of the seasonal cycle varies throughout the record, but we find no significant long-term seasonal changes with respect to the South Pole. Interannual variations in CO 2 growth rate in the Baring Head record closely match the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, reflecting the global reach of CO 2 mole fraction anomalies associated with this cycle. We use atmospheric transport model results to investigate contributions to seasonal and annual-mean components of the observed CO 2 record. Long-term trends in mean gradients between Baring Head and other stations are predominately due to increases in Northern Hemisphere fossil-fuel burning and Southern Ocean CO 2 uptake, for which there remains a wide range of future estimates. We find that the postulated recent reduction in the efficiency of Southern Ocean anthropogenic CO 2 uptake, as a result of increased zonal winds, is too small to be detectable as significant differences in atmospheric CO 2 between mid to high latitude Southern Hemisphere observing stations. Article in Journal/Newspaper South pole Southern Ocean Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Southern Ocean New Zealand South Pole Biogeosciences 10 4 2683 2697 |
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 B. B. Stephens G. W. Brailsford A. J. Gomez K. Riedel S. E. Mikaloff Fletcher S. Nichol M. Manning Analysis of a 39-year continuous atmospheric CO 2 record from Baring Head, New Zealand |
topic_facet |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
We present an analysis of a 39-year record of continuous atmospheric CO 2 observations made at Baring Head, New Zealand, filtered for steady background CO 2 mole fractions during southerly wind conditions. We discuss relationships between variability in the filtered CO 2 time series and regional to global carbon cycling. Baring Head is well situated to sample air that has been isolated from terrestrial influences over the Southern Ocean, and experiences extended episodes of strong southerly winds with low CO 2 variability. The filtered Baring Head CO 2 record reveals an average seasonal cycle with amplitude of 0.95 ppm that is 13% smaller and 3 weeks earlier in phase than that at the South Pole. Seasonal variations in a given year are sensitive to the timing and magnitude of the combined influences of Southern Ocean CO 2 fluxes and terrestrial fluxes from both hemispheres. The amplitude of the seasonal cycle varies throughout the record, but we find no significant long-term seasonal changes with respect to the South Pole. Interannual variations in CO 2 growth rate in the Baring Head record closely match the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, reflecting the global reach of CO 2 mole fraction anomalies associated with this cycle. We use atmospheric transport model results to investigate contributions to seasonal and annual-mean components of the observed CO 2 record. Long-term trends in mean gradients between Baring Head and other stations are predominately due to increases in Northern Hemisphere fossil-fuel burning and Southern Ocean CO 2 uptake, for which there remains a wide range of future estimates. We find that the postulated recent reduction in the efficiency of Southern Ocean anthropogenic CO 2 uptake, as a result of increased zonal winds, is too small to be detectable as significant differences in atmospheric CO 2 between mid to high latitude Southern Hemisphere observing stations. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
B. B. Stephens G. W. Brailsford A. J. Gomez K. Riedel S. E. Mikaloff Fletcher S. Nichol M. Manning |
author_facet |
B. B. Stephens G. W. Brailsford A. J. Gomez K. Riedel S. E. Mikaloff Fletcher S. Nichol M. Manning |
author_sort |
B. B. Stephens |
title |
Analysis of a 39-year continuous atmospheric CO 2 record from Baring Head, New Zealand |
title_short |
Analysis of a 39-year continuous atmospheric CO 2 record from Baring Head, New Zealand |
title_full |
Analysis of a 39-year continuous atmospheric CO 2 record from Baring Head, New Zealand |
title_fullStr |
Analysis of a 39-year continuous atmospheric CO 2 record from Baring Head, New Zealand |
title_full_unstemmed |
Analysis of a 39-year continuous atmospheric CO 2 record from Baring Head, New Zealand |
title_sort |
analysis of a 39-year continuous atmospheric co 2 record from baring head, new zealand |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-2683-2013 https://doaj.org/article/71a3b62560f940b48852a82b6f008f7a |
geographic |
Southern Ocean New Zealand South Pole |
geographic_facet |
Southern Ocean New Zealand South Pole |
genre |
South pole Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
South pole Southern Ocean |
op_source |
Biogeosciences, Vol 10, Iss 4, Pp 2683-2697 (2013) |
op_relation |
http://www.biogeosciences.net/10/2683/2013/bg-10-2683-2013.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4170 https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4189 doi:10.5194/bg-10-2683-2013 1726-4170 1726-4189 https://doaj.org/article/71a3b62560f940b48852a82b6f008f7a |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-2683-2013 |
container_title |
Biogeosciences |
container_volume |
10 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
2683 |
op_container_end_page |
2697 |
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1766201719321001984 |