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Changes in the Arctic Ocean Carbon Cycle With Diminishing Ice Cover
Author(s) -
DeGrandpre Michael,
Evans Wiley,
Timmermans MaryLouise,
Krishfield Richard,
Williams Bill,
Steele Michael
Publication year - 2020
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 - 10.1029/2020gl088051
Subject(s) - sea ice , arctic ice pack , environmental science , sink (geography) , arctic sea ice decline , climatology , arctic , oceanography , cryosphere , antarctic sea ice , drift ice , canada basin , structural basin , atmospheric sciences , geology , geography , paleontology , cartography
Less than three decades ago only a small fraction of the Arctic Ocean (AO) was ice free and then only for short periods. The ice cover kept sea surface p CO 2 at levels lower relative to other ocean basins that have been exposed year round to ever increasing atmospheric levels. In this study, we evaluate sea surface p CO 2 measurements collected over a 6‐year period along a fixed cruise track in the Canada Basin. The measurements show that mean p CO 2 levels are significantly higher during low ice years. The p CO 2 increase is likely driven by ocean surface heating and uptake of atmospheric CO 2 with large interannual variability in the contributions of these processes. These findings suggest that increased ice‐free periods will further increase sea surface p CO 2 , reducing the Canada Basin's current role as a net sink of atmospheric CO 2 .