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Further observations of a decreasing atmospheric CO 2 uptake capacity in the Canada Basin (Arctic Ocean) due to sea ice loss
Author(s) -
Else Brent G.T.,
Galley R.J.,
Lansard B.,
Barber D.G.,
Brown K.,
Miller L.A.,
Mucci A.,
Papakyriakou T.N.,
Tremblay J.É.,
Rysgaard S.
Publication year - 2013
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/grl.50268
Subject(s) - sink (geography) , sea ice , arctic , environmental science , arctic ice pack , atmospheric sciences , structural basin , climatology , cryosphere , antarctic sea ice , geology , oceanography , geomorphology , cartography , geography
Abstract Using data collected in 2009, we evaluated the potential for the southeastern Canada Basin (Arctic Ocean) to act as an atmospheric CO 2 sink under the summertime ice‐free conditions expected in the near future. Beneath a heavily decayed ice cover, we found surprisingly high p CO 2sw (~290–320 µatm), considering that surface water temperatures were low and the influence of ice melt was strong. A simple model simulating melt of the remaining ice and exposure of the surface water for 100 days revealed a weak capacity for atmospheric CO 2 uptake (mean flux: −2.4 mmol m −2 d −1 ), due largely to warming of the shallow mixed layer. Our results confirm a previous finding that the Canada Basin is not a significant sink of atmospheric CO 2 under summertime ice‐free conditions and that increased ventilation of the surface mixed layer due to sea ice loss is weakening the sink even further.