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Storm‐induced upwelling of high p CO 2 waters onto the continental shelf of the western Arctic Ocean and implications for carbonate mineral saturation states
Author(s) -
Mathis Jeremy T.,
Pickart Robert S.,
Byrne Robert H.,
McNeil Craig L.,
Moore G. W. K.,
Juranek Laurie W.,
Liu Xuewu,
Ma Jian,
Easley Regina A.,
Elliot Matthew M.,
Cross Jessica N.,
Reisdorph Stacey C.,
Bahr Frank,
Morison Jamie,
Lichendorf Trina,
Feely Richard A.
Publication year - 2012
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 - 10.1029/2012gl051574
Subject(s) - oceanography , upwelling , geology , continental shelf , sea ice , arctic sea ice decline , arctic , aragonite , arctic geoengineering , ekman transport , arctic ice pack , climatology , antarctic sea ice , geochemistry , calcite
The carbon system of the western Arctic Ocean is undergoing a rapid transition as sea ice extent and thickness decline. These processes are dynamically forcing the region, with unknown consequences for CO 2 fluxes and carbonate mineral saturation states, particularly in the coastal regions where sensitive ecosystems are already under threat from multiple stressors. In October 2011, persistent wind‐driven upwelling occurred in open water along the continental shelf of the Beaufort Sea in the western Arctic Ocean. During this time, cold (<−1.2°C), salty (>32.4) halocline water—supersaturated with respect to atmospheric CO 2 ( p CO 2 > 550 μ atm) and undersaturated in aragonite (Ω aragonite < 1.0) was transported onto the Beaufort shelf. A single 10‐day event led to the outgassing of 0.18–0.54 Tg‐C and caused aragonite undersaturations throughout the water column over the shelf. If we assume a conservative estimate of four such upwelling events each year, then the annual flux to the atmosphere would be 0.72–2.16 Tg‐C, which is approximately the total annual sink of CO 2 in the Beaufort Sea from primary production. Although a natural process, these upwelling events have likely been exacerbated in recent years by declining sea ice cover and changing atmospheric conditions in the region, and could have significant impacts on regional carbon budgets. As sea ice retreat continues and storms increase in frequency and intensity, further outgassing events and the expansion of waters that are undersaturated in carbonate minerals over the shelf are probable.