Collaborators:
Peter Koltermann
Dennis Hansell
Claus Boening
Meridional Transport of Carbon Dioxide in the North Atlantic Ocean
NOAA/DOE OACES, 36 months
PROJECT SUMMARY
We propose a comprehensive synthesis of carbon transport in the North
Atlantic Ocean using newly developed procedures and a comprehensive dataset
including WOCE/WHP, OACES, and German data. Carbon transport in the
ocean is commonly ignored in global carbon models, which could cause serious
bias in interpretation of results pertaining to location and strength of
ocean and terrestrial sources and sinks. The proposed analysis will
compare transports along six sections from the high latitude formations
regions into the South Atlantic. By comparison of the transports,
adjusted for seasonal changes, air-sea fluxes can be estimated from the
convergences or divergences. These values will be compared to independent
air-sea flux estimates. This will be the first time that such a comprehensive
basin inorganic carbon transport analyses will be undertaken. It
will also be the first time that the role of total organic carbon on carbon
transport will be investigated. The carbon transport estimates can
only be accomplished by a unique collaboration of field investigators of
inorganic and organic carbon (Wallace, Hansell and Wanninkhof), and those
familiar with the hydrography and heat and salt transport (Baringer, Boening,
and Koltermann). The partners in the international collaboration
assure access and familiarity to a comprehensive dataset in the North Atlantic.
Rik Wanninkhof
NOAA/AOML
4301 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, FL 33149
tel: (305) 361-4379
fax: (305) 361-4392
wanninkhof@aoml.noaa.gov
Douglas W. R. Wallace
Abteilung Meereschemie
Institut fuer Meereskunde
Duesternbrooker Weg 20
24105 Kiel, Germany
tel: 29-0431-497-3810
fax: 49-0431-565-876
dwallace@ifm.uni-kiel.de
Molly Baringer
NOAA/AOML
4301 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, FL 33149
tel: (305) 361-4345
baringer@aoml.noaa.gov
Peter Koltermann
(no address yet)