Interannual variability of the upper ocean carbon cycle in the northeast Atlantic Ocean

Surface waters in the subtropical gyres have persistently absorbed anthropogenic CO2 at a rate such that their inorganic carbon concentrations have shown a clear upward trend. We report a 10‐year time series of upper‐ocean inorganic carbon observations from the northeastern subtropical Atlantic at E...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: González-Dávila, Melchor, Santana-Casiano, J. Magdalena, González-Dávila, Enrique F.
Other Authors: SANTANA CASIANO, JUANA MAGDALENA, Gonzalez-Davila, Enrique, GONZALEZ DAVILA, MELCHOR, 6603931257, 6701344294, 23988717000, 518149, 579253, 2291604
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 0094-8276 2007
Subjects:
251002 Oceanografía química
Time‐series
Carbon dioxide
Variability
Northeast Atlantic
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10553/49815
https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL028145
Description
Summary:Surface waters in the subtropical gyres have persistently absorbed anthropogenic CO2 at a rate such that their inorganic carbon concentrations have shown a clear upward trend. We report a 10‐year time series of upper‐ocean inorganic carbon observations from the northeastern subtropical Atlantic at ESTOC which indicates significant variability in the inorganic carbon fluxes produced by variations in the Winter mixed‐layer depths, induced by sea surface temperature anomalies. This variability reflects fluctuations relating to the NAO for both sites of the sub‐tropical gyre, with the Eastern part showing a closer correlation with a 3‐year NAO delay. The response to interannual variations in the meteorological forcing to the extra‐tropical carbon cycle can be predicted to clarify effects on future climate change.

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