Mesoscale ocean fronts enhance carbon export due to gravitational sinking and subduction
Name
Stukel-2017-Mesoscale ocean fronts enhance car.pdf
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1.6 MB
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Checksum (MD5)
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Author(s)
Stukel, Michael R.
Aluwihare, Lihini I.
Barbeau, Katherine A.
Chekalyuk, Alexander M.
Goericke, Ralf
Miller, Arthur J.
Ohman, Mark D.
Ruacho, Angel
Song, Hajoon
Stephens, Brandon M.
Date Issued
January 2017
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publisher
National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
Citation
Stukel, Michael R. et al. “Mesoscale Ocean Fronts Enhance Carbon Export Due to Gravitational Sinking and Subduction.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114, 6 (February 2017): 1252–1257 © 2017 National Academy of Sciences
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Enhanced vertical carbon transport (gravitational sinking and subduction) at mesoscale ocean fronts may explain the demonstrated imbalance of new production and sinking particle export in coastal upwelling ecosystems. Based on flux assessments from ²³⁸U:²³⁴Th disequilibrium and sediment traps, we found 2 to 3 times higher rates of gravitational particle export near a deep-water front (305 mg C⋅m⁻²⋅d⁻¹) compared with adjacent water or to mean (nonfrontal) regional conditions. Elevated particle flux at the front was mechanistically linked to Fe-stressed diatoms and high mesozooplankton fecal pellet production. Using a data assimilative regional ocean model fit to measured conditions, we estimate that an additional ∼225 mg C⋅m⁻²⋅d⁻¹ was exported as subduction of particle-rich water at the front, highlighting a transport mechanism that is not captured by sediment traps and is poorly quantified by most models and in situ measurements. Mesoscale fronts may be responsible for over a quarter of total organic carbon sequestration in the California Current and other coastal upwelling ecosystems.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
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Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.
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DOI of Published Version
http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1609435114
