Temporal Evolution of Chlorofluorocarbons and Inorganic Carbon in the Southern and Southwestern Pacific Oceans

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ABSTRACTOCE-0095960The focus of the proposed measurements is to better constrain temporal changes in passive tracer chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) and anthropogenic CO2 penetration into the complex water mass transformations undergone by surface and near-surface waters regions of the Southern Ocean. The rate at which the Southern Ocean takes up anthropogenic CO2 is of broad interest to the global carbon inventory and future climate change. Current global ocean 3D general circulation models (OGCMs) do not compare well in the Southern Ocean and often suggest higher CO2 inventories than observations allow. Investigators form the University of Washington will join scheduled hydrographic cruises to be undertaken by Australian researchers (CSIRO- Marine Research, Hobart) on two Southern Ocean sections, and will specifically measure chloroflurocarbons (CFC's) and ocean carbon system parameters (TCO2, TA). Data analysis of the CFC numbers will be aimed at assessing recent changes in surface ventilation rates in known water masses. Temporal changes in CO2 will be analysed using the quasi-conservative tracer DC* approach.