Reviews and syntheses: The GESAMP atmospheric iron deposition model intercomparison study

Abstract

This work reports on the current status of the global modeling of iron (Fe) deposition fluxes and atmospheric concentrations and the analyses of the differences between models, as well as between models and observations. A total of four global 3-D chemistry transport (CTMs) and general circulation (GCMs) models participated in this intercomparison, in the framework of the United Nations Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) Working Group 38, "The Atmospheric Input of Chemicals to the Ocean". The global total Fe (TFe) emission strength in the models is equal to ∼ 72 TgFeyr-1 (38-134 TgFe yr-1) from mineral dust sources and around 2.1 TgFeyr-1 (1.8-2.7 TgFeyr-1) from combustion processes (the sum of anthropogenic combustion/ biomass burning and wildfires). The mean global labile Fe (LFe) source strength in the models, considering both the primary emissions and the atmospheric processing, is calculated to be 0.7 (±0:3) TgFeyr-1, accounting for both mineral dust and combustion aerosols. The mean global deposition fluxes into the global ocean are estimated to be in the range of 10-30 and 0.2-0.4 TgFeyr-1 for TFe and LFe, respectively, which roughly corresponds to a respective 15 and 0.3 TgFeyr-1 for the multi-model ensemble model mean.