Decrease in the CO2 uptake capacity in an ice-free Arctic Ocean basin
Cai, W.-J.; Chen, L.; Chen, B.; Gao, Z.; Lee, S.H.; Chen, J.; Pierrot, D.; Sullivan, K.F.; Wang, Y.; Hu, X.; Huang, W.-J.; Zhang, Y.; Xu, S.; Murata, A.; Grebmeier, J.M.; Jones, E.P.; Zhang, H. (2010). Decrease in the CO2 uptake capacity in an ice-free Arctic Ocean basin. Science (Wash.) 329(5991): 556-559. https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1189338 In: Science (Washington). American Association for the Advancement of Science: New York, N.Y. ISSN 0036-8075; e-ISSN 1095-9203, more |  |
| Authors | | Top | - Cai, W.-J.
- Chen, L.
- Chen, B.
- Gao, Z.
- Lee, S.H.
- Chen, J.
| - Pierrot, D.
- Sullivan, K.F.
- Wang, Y.
- Hu, X.
- Huang, W.-J.
- Zhang, Y.
| - Xu, S.
- Murata, A.
- Grebmeier, J.M.
- Jones, E.P.
- Zhang, H., more
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| Abstract | It has been predicted that the Arctic Ocean will sequester much greater amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere as a result of sea ice melt and increasing primary productivity. However, this prediction was made on the basis of observations from either highly productive ocean margins or ice-covered basins before the recent major ice retreat. We report here a high-resolution survey of sea-surface CO2 concentration across the Canada Basin, showing a great increase relative to earlier observations. Rapid CO2 invasion from the atmosphere and low biological CO2 drawdown are the main causes for the higher CO2, which also acts as a barrier to further CO2 invasion. Contrary to the current view, we predict that the Arctic Ocean basin will not become a large atmospheric CO2 sink under ice-free conditions. |
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