Winter-to-summer evolution of pCO2 in surface water and air-sea CO2 flux in the seasonal ice zone of the Southern Ocean

Abstract

Partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) in surface water and vertical profiles of the carbonate system parameters were measured during austral summer in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean (64-67° S, 32-58° E) in January 2006 to understand the CO2 dynamics of seawater in the seasonal ice zone. Surface-water p CO2 ranged from 275 to 400 Î1/4atm, and longitudinal variations reflected the dominant influence of water temperature and dilution by sea ice meltwater between 32 and 40° E and biological productivity between 40 and 58° E. Using carbonate system data from the temperature minimum layer ( - 1.9 °C T < - 1.5 °C, 34.2 S < 34.5), we examined the winter-to-summer evolution of surface-water pCO2 and the factors affecting it. Our results indicate that pCO2 increased by as much as 32 μatm, resulting mainly from the increase in water temperature. At the same time as changes in sea ice concentration and surface-water pCO2, the air-sea CO2 flux, which consists of the exchange of CO2 between sea ice and atmosphere, changed from - 1.1 to +0.9 mmol C m-2 day-1 between winter and summer. These results suggest that, for the atmosphere, the seasonal ice zone acts as a CO2 sink in winter and a temporary CO2 source in summer immediately after the retreat of sea ice. Subsequent biological productivity likely decreases surface-water pCO2 and the air-sea CO2 flux becomes negative, such that in summer the study area is again a CO2 sink with respect to the atmosphere.