Distribution of dissolved iron in Antarctic sea ice: Spatial, seasonal, and inter-annual variability

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research
• Main Authors: Lannuzel, D, Schoemann, V, de Jong, J, Pasquer, B, van der Merwe, P, Masson, F, Tison, JL, Bowie, AR
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Amer Geophysical Union 2010
• Subjects: Earth Sciences; Oceanography; Biological Oceanography; Antarctic; Bellingshausen Sea; East Antarctica; Ross Sea; Weddell; Weddell Sea; Antarc*; Antarctica; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://www.agu.org/; https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JG001031; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/67554

[1] Results from recent field studies in Antarctic sea ice show no clear differences indissolved iron (dFe) concentrations between pack ice sampled in East Antarctica (2.620.5 nmol/L), in the Weddell Sea (0.736.8 nmol/L), and in the Bellingshausen Sea (1.130.2 nmol/L). Dissolved Fe concentrations were also similar in land!fast ice collected in EastAntarctica (0.74.3 nmol/L) and in the Ross Sea (1.16.0 nmol/L). In contrast, we observeda remarkable seasonal drawdown of dFe in sea ice for all reported studies. Furthermore,large inter!annual variations in depth!averaged dFe and organic matter concentrationswere observed in sea ice collected in the East Antarctic sector between expeditions in lateaustral winter!spring of 2003 and 2007. Variability in the water column productivity andin the magnitude of the new Fe supply (e.g., upwelling, resuspended shelf sediments) atthe time of sea ice formation could explain such differences.