Coastal upwelling fluxes of O₂, N₂O, and CO₂ assessed from continuous atmospheric observations at Trinidad,California

T. J. Lueker (1)

1 SIO - UC San Diego - Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Continuous atmospheric records of O₂/N₂, CO₂ and N₂O obtained at Trinidad, California document the effects of air-sea exchange during coastal upwelling and plankton bloom events. The atmospheric records provide continuous observations of air-sea fluxes related to synoptic scale upwelling events over several upwelling seasons. Combined with satellite, buoy and local meteorology data, calculated anomalies in O₂/N₂ and N₂O were utilized in a simple atmospheric transport model to compute air-sea fluxes during coastal upwelling. CO₂ fluxes were linked to the oceanic component of the O₂ fluxes through local hydrographic data and estimated as a function of upwelling intensity (surface ocean temperature and wind speed). Regional air-sea fluxes of O₂/N₂O, and CO₂ during coastal upwelling were estimated with the aid of satellite wind and SST data. Upwelling CO₂ fluxes were found to represent ~10% of export production along the northwest coast of North America. Synoptic scale upwelling events impact the net exchange of atmospheric CO₂ along the coastal margin, and will vary in response to the frequency and duration of alongshore winds that are subject to climate change.

Domaines: Cosmologie et astrophysique extra-galactique [astro-ph.CO]; Astrophysique [astro-ph]; Interfaces continentales, environnement; Océan, Atmosphère; Sciences de la Terre

T. J. Lueker. Coastal upwelling fluxes of O₂, N₂O, and CO₂ assessed from continuous atmospheric observations at Trinidad,California. Biogeosciences Discussions, 2004, 1 (1), pp.335-365. ⟨hal-00297749⟩