Carbon dioxide transport by ocean currents at 25 degrees N Latitude in the Atlantic Ocean

Journal Article · Fri Oct 27 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.246.4929.477· OSTI ID:6536639

Brewer, P G; Goyet, C ^[1]; Dyrssen, D ^[2]

---

1. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MA (USA)
2. Chalmers Univ. of Technology, Goeteborg (Sweden)

Measured concentrations of CO{sub 2}, O{sub 2}, and related chemical species in a section across the Florida Straits and in the open Atlantic Ocean at approximately 25{degrees}N, have been combined with estimates of oceanic mass transport to estimate both the gross transport of CO{sub 2} by the ocean at this latitude and the net CO{sub 2} flux from exchange with the atmosphere. The northward flux was 63.9 {times} 10{sup 6} moles per second (mol/s); the southward flux was 64.6 {times} 10{sup 6} mol/s. These values yield a net CO{sub 2} flux of 0.7 {times} 10{sup 6} mol/s (0.26 {plus minus} 0.03 gigaton of C per year) southward. The North Atlantic Ocean has been considered to be a strong sink for atmospheric CO{sub 2}, yet these results show that the net flux in 1988 across 25{degrees}N was small. For O{sub 2} the equivalent signal is 4.89 {times} 10{sup 6} mol/s northward and 6.97 {times} 10{sup 6} mol/s southward, and the net transport is 2.08 {times} 10{sup 6} mol/s or three times the net CO{sub 2} flux. These data suggest that the North Atlantic Ocean is today a relatively small sink for atmospheric CO{sub 2}, in spite of its large heat loss, but a larger sink for O{sub 2} because of the additive effects of chemical and thermal pumping on the CO{sub 2} cycle but their near equal and opposite effects on the CO{sub 2} cycle.

• OSTI ID: 6536639
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (USA), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (USA) Vol. 246:4929; ISSN SCIEA; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON CYCLE
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CURRENTS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
MASS TRANSFER
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SEAS
SINKS
SURFACE WATERS
WATER CURRENTS
WATER POLLUTION