Impact of biogeochemical processes and environmental factors on the calcium carbonate saturation state in the Circumpolar Flaw Lead in the Amundsen Gulf, Arctic Ocean

We report on measurements across an annual cycle of carbon dioxide system parameters in the polar mixed layer (PML) of the circumpolar flaw lead in the Amundsen Gulf, Arctic Ocean. From these and other properties (nitrate, S, T) of the PML, we found that biological processes (photosynthesis and resp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Geophysical Research
Main Authors: Chierici, M, Fransson, A, Lansard, B, Miller, LA, Mucci, A, Shadwick, E, Thomas, H, Tremblay, J, Papakyriakou, TN
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Amer Geophysical Union 2011
Subjects:
Earth Sciences
Oceanography
Chemical Oceanography
Arctic
Arctic Ocean
Amundsen Gulf
Sea ice
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JC007184
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/75929
Description
Summary:We report on measurements across an annual cycle of carbon dioxide system parameters in the polar mixed layer (PML) of the circumpolar flaw lead in the Amundsen Gulf, Arctic Ocean. From these and other properties (nitrate, S, T) of the PML, we found that biological processes (photosynthesis and respiration) accounted for about 50% of the monthly variations in the carbonate ion concentration, [CO32−] and , the saturation state of these waters with respect to calcite (Ca) and aragonite (Ar). Vertical mixing and salinity changes had equal impacts over the annual cycle. The impact of sea ice meltwater resulted in decreasing values in summer, but most of this change was offset by the increase as a result of CO2 drawdown during biological photosynthesis.

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