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Paired windward and leeward biogeochemical time series reveal consistent surface ocean CO 2 trends across the Hawaiian Ridge
Author(s) -
Dore John E.,
Church Matthew J.,
Karl David M.,
Sadler Daniel W.,
Letelier Ricardo M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2014gl060725
Subject(s) - biogeochemical cycle , ridge , oceanography , ocean gyre , geology , environmental science , series (stratigraphy) , climatology , subtropics , paleontology , chemistry , fishery , environmental chemistry , biology
Sustained time series have provided compelling evidence for progressive acidification of the surface oceans through exchange with the growing atmospheric reservoir of carbon dioxide. However, few long‐term programs exist, and extrapolation of results from one site to larger oceanic expanses is hampered by the lack of spatial coverage inherent to Eulerian sampling. Since 1988, the Hawaii Ocean Time‐series program has sampled CO 2 system variables nearly monthly at Station ALOHA, a deep ocean site windward and 115 km north of the island of Oahu. Surface measurements have also been made at Station Kahe, a leeward site 12 km from the island and on the opposite side of the Hawaiian Ridge. Despite having different physical settings, the sites exhibit identical rates of surface p CO 2 increase and hydrogen ion accumulation, suggesting that atmospheric forcing dominates over local dynamics in determining the CO 2 trend in the surface waters of the North Pacific subtropical gyre.