Storm-induced Upwelling of High pCO₂ Waters Onto the Continental Shelf of the Western Arctic Ocean and Implications for Carbonate Mineral Saturation States

Authors

Jeremy T. Mathis, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Robert S. Pickart, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
Robert H. Byrne, University of South FloridaFollow
Craig L. McNeil, University of Washington
G. W. Moore, University of Toronto
Laurie W. Juranek, Oregon State University
Xuewu Liu, University of South FloridaFollow
Jian Ma, University of South Florida
Regina A. Easley, University of South Florida
Matthew M. Elliot, University of South Florida
Jessica N. Cross, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Stacey C. Reisdorph, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Frank Bahr, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
Jamie Morison, University of Washington
Trina Lichendorf, University of Washington
Richard A. Feely, Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, Washington, USA

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2012

Keywords

Arctic Ocean, CO2 fluxes, ocean acidification, upwelling

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051574

Abstract

The carbon system of the western Arctic Ocean is undergoing a rapid transition as sea ice extent and thickness decline. These processes are dynamically forcing the region, with unknown consequences for CO₂ fluxes and carbonate mineral saturation states, particularly in the coastal regions where sensitive ecosystems are already under threat from multiple stressors. In October 2011, persistent wind-driven upwelling occurred in open water along the continental shelf of the Beaufort Sea in the western Arctic Ocean. During this time, cold (<−1.2°C), salty (>32.4) halocline water—supersaturated with respect to atmospheric CO₂ (pCO₂ > 550 μatm) and undersaturated in aragonite (Ω_aragonite < 1.0) was transported onto the Beaufort shelf. A single 10-day event led to the outgassing of 0.18–0.54 Tg-C and caused aragonite undersaturations throughout the water column over the shelf. If we assume a conservative estimate of four such upwelling events each year, then the annual flux to the atmosphere would be 0.72–2.16 Tg-C, which is approximately the total annual sink of CO₂ in the Beaufort Sea from primary production. Although a natural process, these upwelling events have likely been exacerbated in recent years by declining sea ice cover and changing atmospheric conditions in the region, and could have significant impacts on regional carbon budgets. As sea ice retreat continues and storms increase in frequency and intensity, further outgassing events and the expansion of waters that are undersaturated in carbonate minerals over the shelf are probable.

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Was this content written or created while at USF?

Yes

Citation / Publisher Attribution

Geophysical Research Letters, v. 39, issue 7, art. L07606

Scholar Commons Citation

Mathis, Jeremy T.; Pickart, Robert S.; Byrne, Robert H.; McNeil, Craig L.; Moore, G. W.; Juranek, Laurie W.; Liu, Xuewu; Ma, Jian; Easley, Regina A.; Elliot, Matthew M.; Cross, Jessica N.; Reisdorph, Stacey C.; Bahr, Frank; Morison, Jamie; Lichendorf, Trina; and Feely, Richard A., "Storm-induced Upwelling of High pCO₂ Waters Onto the Continental Shelf of the Western Arctic Ocean and Implications for Carbonate Mineral Saturation States" (2012). Marine Science Faculty Publications. 1589.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/msc_facpub/1589