Steady-state and transient modeling of tracer and nutrient distributions in the global ocean. Progress report, June 1, 1991--February 31, 1993

Technical Report · Mon Mar 08 04:00:00 EST 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10138633· OSTI ID:10138633

Stocker, T F; Broecker, W S

The balance of stable and decaying tracers was incorporated into a latitude-depth ocean circulation model which resolves the major ocean basin and is coupled to an atmospheric energy balance model. The modern distribution of radiocarbon and the analysis of artificial color tracers enabled the census of the deep water masses. We show that good agreement with the observation can be achieved if the surface forcing is modified. The same process could also account for long-term, large-scale changes of the global thermohaline circulation. Uptake rates of carbon are investigated using an inorganic carbon cycle model and performing 2 {times} CO{sub 2}-experiments. We prescribe the industrial evolution of pCO{sub 2} in the atmosphere from 1792 to 1988 and calculate the total flux of carbon into the world ocean. Results are in good agreement with two recent 3-dimensional model simulation. First results using an organic carbon cycle in this model are presented. Changes in the hydrological cycle can stabilize the thermohaline circulation in the Atlantic and enable simulation of climate events resembling the Younger Dryas. By adding the balance of radiocarbon the evolution of its atmospheric concentration is studied during rapid changes of deep ocean ventilation. A resumption of ventilation creates a rapid decrease of atmospheric radiocarbon which is able to mask the natural decay.

• Research Organization: Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY (United States). Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-91ER61202
• OSTI ID: 10138633
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/61202--2; ON: DE93011043
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990200
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CARBON 14
CARBON CYCLE
CARBON DIOXIDE
CHEMICALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
CLIMATE MODELS
ENERGY BALANCE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTERS
OCEANIC CIRCULATION
PROGRESS REPORT
SALINITY
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS