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Remineralization Ratios in the Subtropical North Pacific Gyre

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Abstract

Based on a new mixing model of two end-members, the water column remineralization ratios of P/N/Corg - O2 = 1/13 ± 1/135 ± 18/170 ± 9 are obtained for the Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) data set at station ALOHA. The traditional Redfield ratios of P/N/Corg/–O2 = 1/16/106/138 have standard deviations of more than 50%, when they are based on the average composition of phytoplankton. Apparently, the remineralization processes in the water column have smoothed out the observed large variability of plankton compositions. A new molar formula for the remineralized plankton may be written as 135H280O105N13P or C25(CH2O)101(CH4)9(NH3)13(H3PO4). Oxidation of this formula results in

C25(CH2O)101(CH4)9(NH3)13(H3PO4) + 170O2 → 135CO2 + 132H2O + 13NO3 - + H2PO4 - + 14H+.

For comparison, remineralization using Redfield's formula gives:

(CH2O)106(NH3)16(H3PO4) + 138O2 → 106CO2 + 122H2O + 16NO3 -+ H2PO4 - + 17H+

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96822

    Yuan-Hui Li, David M. Karl, Christopher D. Winn, Fred T. Mackenzie & Kathleen Gans

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  1. Yuan-Hui Li
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  2. David M. Karl
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  3. Christopher D. Winn
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  4. Fred T. Mackenzie
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  5. Kathleen Gans
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Li, YH., Karl, D.M., Winn, C.D. et al. Remineralization Ratios in the Subtropical North Pacific Gyre. Aquatic Geochemistry 6, 65–85 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009676300859

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