Summer-winter comparison of Weddell Sea surface water and its productivity

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Antarct. J. U.S.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7160050

Chen, C T.A.

The US-USSR Weddell Polynya Expedition generated chemical data near the outflow region of the Weddell Sea in the late winter/early spring. These data allowed investigation for the first time of the cumulative winter effects on the distribution of chemical properties in the Weddell Sea surface water. Temperature, salinity, oxygen, and nutrient data all indicate that the temperature-minimum layer found in summer is the remnant winter surface water. In summer, solar heating and melting of sea ice transform the top layer of the winter surface water into a warmer, less saline water than the winter surface water which in summer is partially preserved beneath the top layer. Subsequently, biological activity reduces the nutrient concentration in the summer surface layer. The average amount of soft tissue production in the surface layer above the temperature-minimum layer is about 22.5 micromoles per kilogram. This value translates to a productivity of 300-450 milligrams per square meter per day between late winter and summer if one assumes average surface layer to be 100 meters thick. The average calcium carbonate productivity is 33-50 milligrams per square meter per day. Although the effect of melt water in summer would decrease the estimated productivity by about 2%, the effect of air-to-sea transport of carbon dioxide would probably offset the melt-water effect. The estimated productivity supports the notion that the productivity is indeed high in the southern oceans. Even if one assumes that the average yearly productivity is reduced by half as a result of the winter ice cover, one still has a high organic carbon productivity of 55-82 grams per square meter per year and calcium carbonate productivity of 6-9 grams per square meter per year. These values agree very well with the result, 54 and 7.6 grams per square meter per year, respectively, obtained from the recent sediment trap experiments in the southern oceans.

• Research Organization: National Sun Yat-Sen Univ., Kaohsiung (Taiwan)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 7160050
• Journal Information: Antarct. J. U.S.; (United States), Journal Name: Antarct. J. U.S.; (United States) Vol. 21:5; ISSN AJUSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
ANTARCTICA
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BIOMASS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONATES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
LAYERS
NONMETALS
NUTRIENTS
ORGANIC MATTER
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLAR REGIONS
PRODUCTIVITY
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SALINITY
SEAS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SEDIMENTS
SURFACE WATERS
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
VARIATIONS
WATER CHEMISTRY
WEDDELL SEA
YIELDS