Impact of biogeochemical processes and environmental factors on the calcium carbonate saturation state in the Circumpolar Flaw Lead in the Amundsen Gulf, Arctic Ocean

Melissa Chierici (1) , Agneta Fransson (1) , Bruno Lansard (2, 3, 4) , Lisa Miller (5) , Alfonso Mucci (2) , Elizabeth Shadwick (6) , Helmuth Thomas (6) , J.-É. Tremblay (7) , Tim Papakyriakou (8)

1 GU - Göteborgs Universitet = University of Gothenburg
2 GEOTOP - Centre de recherche sur la dynamique du système Terre
3 LSCE - Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement [Gif-sur-Yvette]
4 OCEANIS - Océan et Interfaces
5 British Columbia
6 DO - Department of Oceanography [Halifax]
7 ULaval - Université Laval [Québec]
8 Centre for Earth Observation Science [Winnipeg]

[1] We report on measurements across an annual cycle of carbon dioxide system parameters in the polar mixed layer (PML) of the circumpolar flaw lead in the Amundsen Gulf, Arctic Ocean. From these and other properties (nitrate, S, T) of the PML, we found that biological processes (photosynthesis and respiration) accounted for about 50% of the monthly variations in the carbonate ion concentration, [CO 3 2À ] and W, the saturation state of these waters with respect to calcite (W Ca) and aragonite (W Ar). Vertical mixing and salinity changes had equal impacts over the annual cycle. The impact of sea ice meltwater resulted in decreasing W values in summer, but most of this change was offset by the W increase as a result of CO 2 drawdown during biological photosynthesis.

Domaines: Océan, Atmosphère; Interfaces continentales, environnement

Melissa Chierici, Agneta Fransson, Bruno Lansard, Lisa Miller, Alfonso Mucci, et al.. Impact of biogeochemical processes and environmental factors on the calcium carbonate saturation state in the Circumpolar Flaw Lead in the Amundsen Gulf, Arctic Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research, 2011, 116, pp.0 - 09. ⟨10.1029/2011JC007184⟩. ⟨hal-02901377⟩