Simulated anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> storage and acidification of the Mediterranean Sea
Constraints on the Mediterranean Sea's storage of anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> are limited, coming only from data-based approaches that disagree by more than a factor of two. Here we simulate this marginal sea's anthropogenic carbon storage by applying a perturbation a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2015-02-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.biogeosciences.net/12/781/2015/bg-12-781-2015.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818119020781502464 |
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| author | J. Palmiéri J. C. Orr J.-C. Dutay K. Béranger A. Schneider J. Beuvier S. Somot |
| author_facet | J. Palmiéri J. C. Orr J.-C. Dutay K. Béranger A. Schneider J. Beuvier S. Somot |
| author_sort | J. Palmiéri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Constraints on the Mediterranean Sea's storage of anthropogenic
CO<sub>2</sub> are limited, coming only from data-based approaches that
disagree by more than a factor of two. Here we simulate this
marginal sea's anthropogenic carbon storage by applying
a perturbation approach in a high-resolution regional model. Our
model simulates that, between 1800 and 2001, basin-wide CO<sub>2</sub>
storage by the Mediterranean Sea has increased by 1.0 Pg C,
a lower limit based on the model's weak deep-water ventilation, as
revealed by evaluation with CFC-12. Furthermore, by testing a
data-based approach (transit time distribution) in our model,
comparing simulated anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> to values computed from
simulated CFC-12 and physical variables, we conclude that the
associated basin-wide storage of 1.7 Pg, published previously, must
be an upper bound. Out of the total simulated storage of
1.0 Pg C, 75% comes from the air–sea flux into the
Mediterranean Sea and 25% comes from net transport from the
Atlantic across the Strait of Gibraltar. Sensitivity tests indicate
that the Mediterranean Sea's higher total alkalinity, relative to
the global-ocean mean, enhances the Mediterranean's total inventory
of anthropogenic carbon by 10%. Yet the corresponding average
anthropogenic change in surface pH does not differ significantly
from the global-ocean average, despite higher total alkalinity. In
Mediterranean deep waters, the pH change is estimated to be between
−0.005 and −0.06 pH units. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T05:03:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-17d5559c4db543f8a98aa5af39e2e3a1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T05:03:34Z |
| publishDate | 2015-02-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biogeosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-17d5559c4db543f8a98aa5af39e2e3a12022-12-22T01:20:05ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892015-02-0112378180210.5194/bg-12-781-2015Simulated anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> storage and acidification of the Mediterranean SeaJ. Palmiéri0J. C. Orr1J.-C. Dutay2K. Béranger3A. Schneider4J. Beuvier5S. Somot6LSCE/IPSL, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Gif-sur-Yvette, FranceLSCE/IPSL, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Gif-sur-Yvette, FranceLSCE/IPSL, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Gif-sur-Yvette, FranceENSTA-ParisTech, Palaiseau, FranceGEOMAR; Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel, GermanyMercator Ocean, Ramonville Saint-Agne, FranceCNRM/Météo-France, Toulouse, FranceConstraints on the Mediterranean Sea's storage of anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> are limited, coming only from data-based approaches that disagree by more than a factor of two. Here we simulate this marginal sea's anthropogenic carbon storage by applying a perturbation approach in a high-resolution regional model. Our model simulates that, between 1800 and 2001, basin-wide CO<sub>2</sub> storage by the Mediterranean Sea has increased by 1.0 Pg C, a lower limit based on the model's weak deep-water ventilation, as revealed by evaluation with CFC-12. Furthermore, by testing a data-based approach (transit time distribution) in our model, comparing simulated anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> to values computed from simulated CFC-12 and physical variables, we conclude that the associated basin-wide storage of 1.7 Pg, published previously, must be an upper bound. Out of the total simulated storage of 1.0 Pg C, 75% comes from the air–sea flux into the Mediterranean Sea and 25% comes from net transport from the Atlantic across the Strait of Gibraltar. Sensitivity tests indicate that the Mediterranean Sea's higher total alkalinity, relative to the global-ocean mean, enhances the Mediterranean's total inventory of anthropogenic carbon by 10%. Yet the corresponding average anthropogenic change in surface pH does not differ significantly from the global-ocean average, despite higher total alkalinity. In Mediterranean deep waters, the pH change is estimated to be between −0.005 and −0.06 pH units.http://www.biogeosciences.net/12/781/2015/bg-12-781-2015.pdf |
| spellingShingle | J. Palmiéri J. C. Orr J.-C. Dutay K. Béranger A. Schneider J. Beuvier S. Somot Simulated anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> storage and acidification of the Mediterranean Sea Biogeosciences |
| title | Simulated anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> storage and acidification of the Mediterranean Sea |
| title_full | Simulated anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> storage and acidification of the Mediterranean Sea |
| title_fullStr | Simulated anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> storage and acidification of the Mediterranean Sea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Simulated anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> storage and acidification of the Mediterranean Sea |
| title_short | Simulated anthropogenic CO<sub>2</sub> storage and acidification of the Mediterranean Sea |
| title_sort | simulated anthropogenic co sub 2 sub storage and acidification of the mediterranean sea |
| url | http://www.biogeosciences.net/12/781/2015/bg-12-781-2015.pdf |
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