Carbonate chemistry of the Weddell Sea
Concurrent pH, calcium and total alkalinity data were obtained in the eastern Weddell Sea in the late austral Winter of 1981 as part of the US-USSR Weddell Polynya Expedition aboard the Soviet icebreaker SOMOV. These data represent the initial concentrations of calcium, alkalinity and total CO/sub 2/ in the most important source region of world ocean bottom waters at the time they were formed. For the first time we can evaluate the variation of calcium and carbon cycles in the deep oceans referenced to the source water. The Weddell Sea data were analyzed with data reported in the literature, and the results indicate that: the October pH values south of the polar front are indistinguishable from the November values, but the seasonal effect is large north of the front; a large change in pH occurs at the ice edge; partial CO/sub 2/ pressure in the Weddell Sea surface water is only slightly lower than the atmospheric value; the alkalinity does not show cross-ice-edge or seasonal variations, but the values seem to increase at a slower rate with decreasing temperature south of the Polar Front; sea ice is relatively high in calcium and alkalinity concentrations; mixing dominates the distribution of chemical properties; pH is useful in identifying the sources of waters in the Weddell Sea, whereas calcium and alkalinity are not; the surface water is deficient in anthropogenic CO/sub 2/ because the pack ice blocks the air-sea exchange of gases; and little excess CO/sub 2/ can be found in the Antarctic Bottom Water. The situation may change, however, if the Weddell Sea ice coverage is reduced because of CO/sub 2/-induced global warming. Two appendices include data for the expedition. 159 references, 60 figures, 5 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Oregon State Univ., Corvallis (USA). School of Oceanography
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT06-81EV10611
- OSTI ID:
- 6750250
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/EV/10611-4; ON: DE84009713
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
AIR-WATER INTERACTIONS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CALCIUM
CARBON 14
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON CYCLE
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON ISOTOPES
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
DISSOLVED GASES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ICE
INFORMATION
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
METALS
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTIAL PRESSURE
PH VALUE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIOISOTOPES
SALINITY
SAMPLING
SEAS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SEAWATER
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SOLUTES
SURFACE WATERS
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
TRITIUM
VARIATIONS
WATER
WATER CHEMISTRY
WEDDELL SEA
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES