Gas exchange and CO/sub 2/ flux in the tropical Atlantic Ocean determined from /sup 222/Rn and pCO/sub 2/ measurements
Measurements of /sup 222/Rn vertical profiles and pCO/sub 2/ in the surface water and the atmosphere were made simultaneously in the tropical Atlantic Ocean as part of the TTO/TAS program. The gas exchange rate or piston velocity was determined from the /sup 222/Rn profiles, and the ..delta..pCO/sub 2/ between the surface ocean and the atmosphere was determined from the pCO/sub 2/ measurements. The net flux of CO/sub 2/ across the sea-air interface was calculated from these two data sets. The piston velocity ranged from 1.4 to 6.0 m/d and was correlated with wind speed. The slope of piston velocity versus wind speed was estimated to be between 0.3 and 1.1 (m/d)/(m/s). the ..delta..pCO/sub 2/ ranged from -35 ..mu..atm at 15/sup 0/N, 55/sup 0/W to +64 ..mu..atm at 5/sup 0/S, 28/sup 0/W, with the zero ..delta..pCO/sub 2/ isopleth located at about 10/sup 0/N. The high ..delta..pCO/sub 2/ values can be explained by lateral advection of surface water from the east with heating and biological consumption of CO/sub 2/ and alkalinity during transit. The net flux of CO/sub 2/ was into the ocean north of 10/sup 0/N latitude with values reaching a maximum of 1.4 mol m/sup -2/ yr/sup -1/ at 15/sup 0/N, 50/sup 0/W. South of 10/sup 0/N, the net flux was out of the ocean, reaching a maximum value of 2.7 mol m/sup -2/ yr/sup -1/ at 8/sup 0/S, 28/sup 0/W. The average net flux from 10/sup 0/N to 10/sup 0/S was 1.3 mol m/sup -2/ yr/sup -1/ out of the ocean, which is equivalent to 0.15 gigatons of carbon per year if the flux determined applied throughout the year. 56 references, 16 figures, 5 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-81ER60000
- OSTI ID:
- 5944466
- Journal Information:
- J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 90:C4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CARBON DIOXIDE
MASS TRANSFER
TROPICAL REGIONS
CARBON CYCLE
AIR-WATER INTERACTIONS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RADON 222
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WIND
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADON ISOTOPES
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
520301* - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Water- (1987)
520100 - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (-1989)