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Recent deceleration of oceanic p CO 2 increase in the western North Pacific in winter
Author(s) -
Midorikawa Takashi,
Ishii Masao,
Kosugi Naohiro,
Sasano Daisuke,
Nakano Toshiya,
Saito Shu,
Sakamoto Naoaki,
Nakano Hideyuki,
Inoue Hisayuki Y.
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 - 10.1029/2012gl051665
Subject(s) - ocean gyre , latitude , oceanography , hydrography , subtropics , pacific decadal oscillation , environmental science , climatology , pacific ocean , climate change , geology , geodesy , fishery , biology
Recent changes in oceanic CO 2 partial pressure ( p CO 2 sea ) have attracted increasing interest as they relate to the increase in atmospheric CO 2 and climate change. We report decadal changes in the growth rates of p CO 2 sea in latitudinal zones from 3°N to 33°N along the repeat hydrographic line at 137°E in the western North Pacific in winter. The growth rates of p CO 2 sea for 1999–2009 (−0.3 ± 0.9 [mean ± 1 σ ] to 1.7 ± 0.5 μ atm yr −1 ) were lower than those for 1984–1997 (0.7 ± 0.3 to 2.2 ± 0.6 μ atm yr −1 ) at most latitudes, indicative of the recent notable deceleration of p CO 2 sea increase. For latitudes around 10–20°N, we attribute the reduction in the growth rate of p CO 2 sea for 1999–2009 primarily to the reduction in the contribution from dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) originating from a reduction in carbon accumulation associated with the expansion of the western Subtropical Gyre towards the south.