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Estimates of vertical eddy diffusion through the thermocline from phytoplankton nitrate uptake rates in the mixed layer of the eastern tropical Pacific 1
Author(s) -
King Frederick D.,
Devol Allan H.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1979.24.4.0645
Subject(s) - thermocline , nitrate , phytoplankton , mixed layer , environmental science , eddy diffusion , diffusion , oceanography , diel vertical migration , photic zone , atmospheric sciences , nitrogen , geology , chemistry , nutrient , turbulence , geography , meteorology , physics , thermodynamics , organic chemistry
Vertical eddy diffusion coefficients ranging from 0.05–1.1 cm 2 ·s −1 were calculated from phytoplankton nitrate uptake rates in the mixed layer and nitrate gradients at the top of the thermocline of the eastern tropical North Pacific. An empirical relationship was determined between these diffusion coefficients and density gradients in the thermocline. This relationship was used to calculate nitrate fluxes through the thermocline at several stations where nitrate uptake was not measured, and the fluxes indicated that an average of 29% of the primary productivity was supported by the uptake of nitrate‐nitrogen.