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ENSO‐driven carbon see saw in the Indo‐Pacific
Author(s) -
Rixen Tim,
Ittekkot Venugopalan,
Herunadi Bambang,
Wetzel Patrick,
MaierReimer E.,
GayeHaake Birgit
Publication year - 2006
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 - 10.1029/2005gl024965
Subject(s) - upwelling , oceanography , carbonate , precipitation , sediment trap , geology , monsoon , environmental science , salinity , atmosphere (unit) , total organic carbon , sediment , water column , environmental chemistry , geomorphology , chemistry , geography , organic chemistry , meteorology
The sediment trap experiments have been carried out during the 2001/2002 El Niño/La Niña transition in the monsoon‐driven and freshwater influenced upwelling system off South Java. The results indicate that enhanced precipitation rates and associated river discharges increase the CO 2 ‐uptake of the biological pump by increasing the organic carbon export and reducing the carbonate precipitation. The freshwater, furthermore, forms a buoyant low salinity surface layer that caps off the nutrient and CO 2 ‐rich subsurface waters which shortens the upwelling season during wet La Niña conditions. A reduced capping‐effect during dryer El Niño conditions strengthens the upwelling and as shown by our model results increase CO 2 emission into the atmosphere along the freshwater influenced continental margins in SE Asia. By contrast El Niño weakens upwelling and reduces the CO 2 emission in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.