Abstract
The distributions and fluxes of sea-air carbon dioxide were investigated the first time based on the firsthand data collected during the First Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition. The results revealed that values of atmospheric CO2 partial pressure (Pa) measured in the sum-mer during the expedition fell between 352 and 370 (x10−6 CO2·Air−1, same unit below) with an average value of 358. Particularly, Pa appeared high in the northern sea areas of Poitlay. However, the values of CO2 partial pressure at the surface layer of seawater (Pw) ranged from 98 to 580 with the difference between the low and high being 472. The average value ofPw was 242, which is 116 lower than that of the correspondingP a. In addition, the distribution ofPw was roughly low in the west and north, but high in the east and south. These phenomena were closely related to plankton, ice, water temperature and circulation of the region. The estimation in carbon fluxes showed that the patterns in distribution were similar through different calculating methods with an exception in eastern sea areas of the region where a weak source of atmospheric CO2 was indi-cated. Most sea areas of the region were sinks or strong sinks of atmospheric CO2. However, the magnitudes in the fluxes were different. The average values varied from 6.57 (Liss method) to 26.32 mg.CO2·m−2·h−1 (14C method) with a difference of about 4 times between the low and high, which is 2 to 10 times as high as the global average. Compared with the fluxes in the same region obtained using model of Takahashi, Feely et al., the values determined based on Wanninkhof coef-ficient calculation were 2.38 times as great as those obtained by them.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hansen, J., Johnson, D., Lacis, A. et al., Climatic effects of atmospheric carbon dioxide, Science, 1983, 220:874–875.
Gao, Z. Y., Chen, L. Q., Wang, W. Q., Study of carbon cycle in South and North Polar and the global change, References Frontiers (in Chinese), 2002, 9(1–2): 263–270.
Zhang, Y. H., Wang, W. Q., Chen, L. Q., The progress of marine carbon dioxide study, Advance in Earth Science (in Chi-nese), 2000, 15(5): 559–564.
Chen, B. Q., Guo, Y. F., The study and progress of global climate change, Environmental Science (in Chinese), 1993, (4): 14–23.
Manabe, S., Tang, W., Fu, L. L., Century-scale effects of increased atmospheric CO2 on the ocean-atmosphere system, Nature, 1993, 364: 215–218.
Zhan, B. Q., Zhao, Y. P., CO2, oceans and climate, Oceanography and Limnology (in Chinese), 1989, 20(1): 92–99.
Riley, J. P., Skelow, G., Chemical Oceanography, Vol. 2 (in Chinese), (eds. Cui, Q. C., Qian, Z. G., Tang, S. Q.), Beijing: Ocean Press, 1982, 1–211.
Mcwhinnie, M. A., Polar Research: Its Present and Future (in Chinese), (translated by Gao, Y. X., Guo, J. L., An, N. et al.), Beijing: Ocean Press, 1981, 114–126.
Keeling, C. D., Whorf, T. P., Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Record from Barrow in 1974-2000, La Jolla: Scripps Institu-tion of Oceanography, University of California, 92093–92144.
Keeling, C. D., Whorf, T.P., Wahlen, M. et al., Interannual extremes in the rate of rise of atmospheric carbon dioxide since 1980, Nature, 1995, 375: 666–670.
Keeling, C.D., Chin, J.F.S., Whorf, T.P., Increased activity of northern vegetation inferred from atmospheric CO2 meas-urements, Nature, 1996, 382: 146–149.
John, J. J., Arctic carbon sink: Present and future global biogeochemical cycles, Prog. Oceanogr., 1989, 3(4): 393–411.
Walsh, J. J., Mcroy, C. P., Coachman, L. K. et al., Carbon and nitrogen cycling within the Bering/Chukchi Seas: Source regions for organic matter effecting AOU demands of the Arctic Ocean, Prog. Oceanogr., 1989, 22: 279–361.
First Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition Team, The Expedition Report of First Chinese National Arctic Re-search Expedition (in Chinese), Beijing: Ocean Press, 2000, 1–39, 93-105, 119-137, 155-191.
Takahashi, T., Feely, R.A., Weiss, R.F. et al., Global air-sea flux of CO2:An estimate based on measurements of sea-air pCO2 difference, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1997, 94: 8292–8299. Colloquium Paper
Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration, and National Center of Mapping and Survey of the Antarctic, Map of The Arctic Region (in Chinese), Nuhan: Wuhan Technology University of Surveying and Mapping Press, 1998.
Liss, P. S., Merlivat, Air-sea gas exchange rates-Introduction and synthesis, in the Role of Air-Sea Exchange in Geo-chemical Cycling, Dordrecht: Reidel Pub., 1986, 113–127.
Tans, P. P., Conway, T. J., Nakazawa, T., Latitudinal distribution of the source and sinks of atmospheric carbon dioxide de-rived from surface observation and an atmospheric transport model, J. Geophys. Res., 1989, 94: 5151–5173.
Wanninkhof, R., Relationship between wind speed and gas exchange over the ocean, J. Geophys. Res., 1992, 97(C5): 7373–7382.
Jacobs, M. J., Kohoiek, W., Oost, W. A., Air-sea fluxes and transfer velocity of CO2 over the North Sea: Result from AS-GAMAGE, Tellus, 1999, 51B: 629–641.
Wang, W. Q., Huang, X. B., Zhang, Y. H., Difference of air sea carbon dioxide partial pressure and the fluxes in South In-dia Ocean, Taiwan Strait (in Chinese), 1998, 17(3): 262–268.
Zhang, Y. H., Wang, W. Q., Huang, X. B., Distribution of carbon dioxide in Pulitze Bay of South Polar and adjacent sea areas and its air-sea fluxes, Polar Study (in Chinese), 1997, 9(2): 158–162.
Keeling, C. D., Carbon dioxide in surface ocean water, J. Geophys. Res., 1968, 73: 4543–4553.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Weiqiang, W., Liqi, C., Xulin, Y. et al. Investigations on distributions and fluxes of sea-air CO2 of the expedition areas in the Arctic Ocean. Sci. China Ser. D-Earth Sci. 46, 569–579 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02984535
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02984535