Variation in the Oxygen/Nitrogen (O2/N2) Ratio of Air: Implications for the Global Carbon Cycle

普林斯顿大学的研究人员将扩展现有的高精度测量记录，从遥远的全球大气中采样O2/N2和Ar/N2比率。由（R.）Keeling和Bender的O2/N2时间序列记录已被证明是我们了解全球碳循环几个方面的宝贵工具，也是评估不断增加的人为二氧化碳瞬态封存的直接手段。海洋和陆地碳汇对日益增加的化石燃料二氧化碳的吸收差异、从表层到深海的有机碳输出速率、海洋群落净初级产量以及气体、水分和热量的海气交换的一般作用，这些都是这些长期测量系列阐明的一些主题。经过大约15年多的时间，采样网络将于2008年底退役。这直接反映了许多（全球约10个）国际实验室和机构赞助的监测项目正在从事类似的观察，从而消除了对普林斯顿网络的持续需求。

Researchers from Princeton will extend an existing record of high precision measurements of O2/N2 and Ar/N2 ratios sampled from the remote global atmosphere. As pioneered by (R.) Keeling and also by Bender, O2/N2 time series records have proven to be invaluable tools for our understanding of several aspects of the global carbon cycle and a direct means of assessing the sequestration of the increasing anthropogenic CO2 transient. Knowledge of the differential uptake of increasing fossil fuel CO2 between the ocean and terrestrial carbon sinks, rates of organic carbon export from the surface to the deep ocean, net oceanic community primary production and the general role of air-sea exchange of gases, moisture and heat are a few of the topics illuminated by these long term measurement series. At the end of 2008, after some 15+ years, the sampling network will be decommissioned. This is a direct reflection of the numerous (globally ~ 10) international laboratories and agency sponsored monitoring programs now engaged in similar observations, obviating a continued need for the Princeton network.