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Macro-Nutrient Transport Pathways and Interactions with the Iron Cycle. Export and remineralization of sinking, organic particles moves nutrients to denser isopyncals: Mick Follows, Stephanie Dutkiewicz, Payal Parekh: MIT Taka Ito: University of Washington Ric Williams: University of Liverpool
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Return of macro-nutrients to euphotic zone requires diapycnal transfer Atlantic basin
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Return of macro-nutrients to euphotic zone requires diapycnal transfer Pacific basin
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Atlantic basin Upwelling in Southern Ocean major return pathway...
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Mode and intermediate waters formed equatorwards of ACC - pathway for macro-nutrients to northern basins (Sarmiento et al., 2003) surface nitrate surface silica
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Mode waters Hanawa and Talley (2001)
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Residual mean flow transports nutrients northwards to sites of mode and intermediate water formation Marshall (1997) Ψ res = Ψ Ekman + Ψ eddy
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Residual mean flow transports nutrients northwards to sites of mode and intermediate water formation Marshall (1997) Ψ res = Ψ Ekman + Ψ eddy
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NO3 (uM) upwelling +NO 3 -Fe dust iron limited macro-nutrient limited subduction ● balance between northward residual mean advection and export sets subducted nutrient concentration ● export sensitive to iron availability
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Macro-nutrient supply to the subtropical gyres. WOCE A20 North Atlantic
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Convergence of horizontal Ekman nitrate flux in N. Atlantic (10 -3 mol N m -2 yr -1 ) Lateral Ekman transfer into N. Atlantic subtropical gyres Williams and Follows (1998) Role of eddies? Residual mean flow
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North Atlantic subtropical gyre: schematic nutrient budget Ekman transfer significant source to subtropical bowl (~ mol N m -2 yr -1 ) organic export (Jenkins, 1988)
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Connecting southern and northern hemispheres: “nutrient stream” centred at σ θ = 27.0 supplies nutrients to northern gyres (Pelegri and Csanady, 1991) σ θ = 27.0 PO 4 * (“conservative”) (μM) NO 3 (μM)
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Nutrient stream outcrops close to intergyre boundary in winter March NO 3 and σ θ (10m) World Ocean Atlas
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Illustration in a global biogeochemical model: regulation of macro-nutrient pathways by aeolian iron source (Dutkiewicz et al., 2005) Modeled Surface Chl (mg m -3 ) ● Explicit, coupled phosphorus, silica and iron cycles ● Two phytoplankton classes: Diatoms and "other" phytoplankton ● Single grazer ● Prescribed aeolian iron source
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Aeolian Iron Source (mmol Fe m -2 yr -1 ) Luo et al (2003) Sensitivity studies with uniform “high” and “low” aeolian iron flux...
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difference in primary producitivity (high – low) aeolian iron supply (g C m -2 y -1 ) Sensitivity of primary production to aeolian iron source More dust, higher productivity More dust, lower productivity
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Pacific basin reflects regulation of intergyre exchange
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Atlantic productivity reflects southern ocean surface macro- nutrient utilization Atlantic
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Summary ● Lateral transfer in surface ocean is significant route for diapycnal return of macro-nutrients to light isopycnals. (Southern Ocean, inter-gyre boundaries) ● Advection by residual mean flow (Ekman + eddy) is key physical process ● Balance between residual mean advection and iron stress regulates the lateral fluxes of macro-nutrients.
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Two regimes: - iron limited upwelling regions - macro-nutrient limited subtropical gyres + Atlantic
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Export and remineralization of sinking, organic particles moves nutrients to denser isopyncals Atlantic basin
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Pelegri and Csanady (1991): “nutrient stream” core of stream at σ θ ~ 27.0 v NO3 at 36N
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Numerical model Eulerian mean (Ekman) upwelling (200m) Residual mean upwelling (200m)
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