Spatiotemporal variability and drivers of <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> and air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes in the California Current System: an eddy-resolving modeling study
We quantify the CO<sub>2</sub> source/sink nature of the California Current System (CalCS) and determine the drivers and processes behind the mean and spatiotemporal variability of the partial pressure of CO<sub>2</sub> (<i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub>) in the...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2014-02-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.biogeosciences.net/11/671/2014/bg-11-671-2014.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818571768934170624 |
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| author | G. Turi Z. Lachkar N. Gruber |
| author_facet | G. Turi Z. Lachkar N. Gruber |
| author_sort | G. Turi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We quantify the CO<sub>2</sub> source/sink nature of the California Current System
(CalCS) and determine the drivers and processes behind the mean and
spatiotemporal variability of the partial pressure of CO<sub>2</sub> (<i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub>) in
the surface ocean. To this end, we analyze eddy-resolving, climatological
simulations of a coupled physical–biogeochemical oceanic model on the basis
of the Regional Oceanic Modeling System (ROMS).
<br></br>
In the annual mean, the entire CalCS within 800 km of the coast and from
∼33° N to 46° N is essentially neutral with regard
to atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub>: the model simulates an integrated uptake flux of
−0.9 ± 3.6 Tg C yr<sup>−1</sup>, corresponding to an average flux
density of −0.05 ± 0.20 mol C m<sup>−2</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>. This near zero
flux is a consequence of an almost complete regional compensation between (i)
strong outgassing in the nearshore region (first 100 km) that brings waters
with high concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) to the surface
and (ii) and a weaker, but more widespread uptake flux in the offshore region
due to an intense biological reduction of this DIC, driven by the nutrients
that are upwelled together with the DIC.
<br></br>
The air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes vary substantially in time, both on seasonal and
sub-seasonal timescales, largely driven by variations in surface ocean
<i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub>. Most of the variability in <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> is associated with the
seasonal cycle, with the exception of the nearshore region, where
sub-seasonal variations driven by mesoscale processes dominate. In the
regions offshore of 100 km, changes in surface temperature are the main
driver, while in the nearshore region, changes in surface temperature, as
well as anomalies in DIC and alkalinity (Alk) owing to changes in
circulation, biological productivity and air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes dominate. The
prevalence of eddy-driven variability in the nearshore 100 km leads to
a complex spatiotemporal mosaic of surface ocean <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> and air–sea
CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes that require a substantial observational effort to determine
the source/sink nature of this region reliably. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T18:48:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f4868e052c88480b862b05278f8ea302 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T18:48:42Z |
| publishDate | 2014-02-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biogeosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-f4868e052c88480b862b05278f8ea3022022-12-21T22:51:19ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892014-02-0111367169010.5194/bg-11-671-2014Spatiotemporal variability and drivers of <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> and air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes in the California Current System: an eddy-resolving modeling studyG. Turi0Z. Lachkar1N. Gruber2Environmental Physics, Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, SwitzerlandEnvironmental Physics, Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, SwitzerlandEnvironmental Physics, Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, SwitzerlandWe quantify the CO<sub>2</sub> source/sink nature of the California Current System (CalCS) and determine the drivers and processes behind the mean and spatiotemporal variability of the partial pressure of CO<sub>2</sub> (<i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub>) in the surface ocean. To this end, we analyze eddy-resolving, climatological simulations of a coupled physical–biogeochemical oceanic model on the basis of the Regional Oceanic Modeling System (ROMS). <br></br> In the annual mean, the entire CalCS within 800 km of the coast and from ∼33° N to 46° N is essentially neutral with regard to atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub>: the model simulates an integrated uptake flux of −0.9 ± 3.6 Tg C yr<sup>−1</sup>, corresponding to an average flux density of −0.05 ± 0.20 mol C m<sup>−2</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>. This near zero flux is a consequence of an almost complete regional compensation between (i) strong outgassing in the nearshore region (first 100 km) that brings waters with high concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) to the surface and (ii) and a weaker, but more widespread uptake flux in the offshore region due to an intense biological reduction of this DIC, driven by the nutrients that are upwelled together with the DIC. <br></br> The air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes vary substantially in time, both on seasonal and sub-seasonal timescales, largely driven by variations in surface ocean <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub>. Most of the variability in <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> is associated with the seasonal cycle, with the exception of the nearshore region, where sub-seasonal variations driven by mesoscale processes dominate. In the regions offshore of 100 km, changes in surface temperature are the main driver, while in the nearshore region, changes in surface temperature, as well as anomalies in DIC and alkalinity (Alk) owing to changes in circulation, biological productivity and air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes dominate. The prevalence of eddy-driven variability in the nearshore 100 km leads to a complex spatiotemporal mosaic of surface ocean <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> and air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes that require a substantial observational effort to determine the source/sink nature of this region reliably.http://www.biogeosciences.net/11/671/2014/bg-11-671-2014.pdf |
| spellingShingle | G. Turi Z. Lachkar N. Gruber Spatiotemporal variability and drivers of <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> and air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes in the California Current System: an eddy-resolving modeling study Biogeosciences |
| title | Spatiotemporal variability and drivers of <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> and air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes in the California Current System: an eddy-resolving modeling study |
| title_full | Spatiotemporal variability and drivers of <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> and air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes in the California Current System: an eddy-resolving modeling study |
| title_fullStr | Spatiotemporal variability and drivers of <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> and air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes in the California Current System: an eddy-resolving modeling study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatiotemporal variability and drivers of <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> and air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes in the California Current System: an eddy-resolving modeling study |
| title_short | Spatiotemporal variability and drivers of <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> and air–sea CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes in the California Current System: an eddy-resolving modeling study |
| title_sort | spatiotemporal variability and drivers of i p i co sub 2 sub and air sea co sub 2 sub fluxes in the california current system an eddy resolving modeling study |
| url | http://www.biogeosciences.net/11/671/2014/bg-11-671-2014.pdf |
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