US-France Cooperative Research: A Quantitative Assessment of Mineral Ballast in Marine Carbon Export and Remineralization

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0340535LeeThis two-year U.S.-France cooperative research project between the State University of New York at Stony Brook and Universite de la Mediterranee Laboratory of Marine Microbiology in Marseille, France addresses the role of minerals on the export of carbon to the deep ocean. Sinking particles, produced by organisms or introduced into the ocean by winds, export carbon from the sea surface to the ocean interior and sediments. During transit, most particulate organic carbon is returned to inorganic form and redistributed in the water column. This redistribution affects the amount of carbon that can be sequestered by the ocean and affects the rate at which the ocean can absorb and store CO2 from the atmosphere. The ability to specify quantitatively the depth profile of remineralization is critical to predicting the response of the global carbon cycle to environmental change. The Stony Brook team of Cindy Lee, Robert Armstrong and J. Kirk Cochran and the Marseille group of Madeleine Goutx and Richard Sempere will construct a model capable of describing and predicting transport of particulate organic matter and associated bioactive elements into the interior ocean. The model will provide information to support a better assessment of the role of the biological pump in the fate of anthropogenic CO2. Thus research will be conducted at the French JGOFS time series site (DYFAMED) in the Mediterranean. The Stony Brook team brings to the collaboration expertise in organic geochemistry (Lee), radiochemistry (Cochran) and modeling (Armstrong). This is complemented by the Marseille's group detailed knowledge of the DYFAMED site and their specialty in marine microbiology. Microbiology expertise is needed to understand the biological controls on organic matter remineralization in sinking particles. The project will advance understanding of the role of the oceans in controlling atmospheric CO2 and global warming. It also involves training of students in international research teams and will assist the establishment of international links early on in their career.The project is jointly supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). NSF will cover the costs of visits to France by the U.S. investigators and students. The CNRS provides funding for visits to the United States.