The role of North Atlantic water masses in the draw down of anthropogenic CO2
This thesis discusses the study of the distribution and temporal variation of the anthropogenic carbon in the Northeast Atlantic. The North Atlantic has a complex hydrographic structure resulting from the formation of deep, intermediate and central waters. To understand the behaviour of the Northeas...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Southampton
2002
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/464678/ https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/464678/1/842684.pdf |
| Summary: | This thesis discusses the study of the distribution and temporal variation of the anthropogenic carbon in the Northeast Atlantic. The North Atlantic has a complex hydrographic structure resulting from the formation of deep, intermediate and central waters. To understand the behaviour of the Northeast Atlantic as a sink of carbon dioxide, it is necessary to study the different water masses and their importance in the draw down of anthropogenic carbon. By applying a simple mixing model to the data in the Northeast Atlantic it has been possible to explain the physical mixing evolution of the source waters along the 20 o W section. This is the first time that the mixing of water masses has been explained along this section. The model has then been validated with independent data. Results show a very good fit between the model and data. The anthropogenic carbon calculation is reviewed in chapter 4. Different approaches are used in the calculation of anthropogenic carbon along the section and their weaknesses and strengths are analysed. Finally the Perez et al (in press) method is recommended to calculate the anthropogenic carbon along the section. The specific inventories of anthropogenic carbon and CFC's along the section for the databases available along 20 o W, in 1988, 1993 and 1998 are also calculated and show a spatial and temporal increase. The excess of carbon between the cruises is also studied following the Wallace (1995) methodology. The results are, however, inconclusive showing the need to have databases further apart in time in order to observe the increase of inorganic carbon in the section. In the last section we combine the inventories calculated with the mixing of the water masses in order to understand the contribution of each water mass to the anthropogenic inventory. The water masses, which are increasing their anthropogenic carbon faster are the SPMW, LSW and the ISOW. |
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