Skip to main content

IMIS

A new integrated search interface will become available in the next phase of marineinfo.org.
For the time being, please use IMIS to search available data

 

[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

The variable Southern Ocean carbon sink
Gruber, N.; Landschützer, P.; Lovenduski, N.S. (2019). The variable Southern Ocean carbon sink, in: Carlson, C.A. et al. Ann. Rev. Mar. Sci. 11. Annual Review of Marine Science, 11: pp. 159-186. https://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-121916-063407
In: Carlson, C.A.; Giovannoni, S.J. (Ed.) (2019). Ann. Rev. Mar. Sci. 11. Annual Review of Marine Science, 11. Annual Reviews: Palo Alto. i, 516 pp., more
In: Annual Review of Marine Science. Annual Reviews: Palo Alto, Calif. ISSN 1941-1405; e-ISSN 1941-0611, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keyword
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    Southern Ocean, ocean carbon sink, decadal variability, anthropogenic carbon, natural carbon

Authors  Top 
  • Gruber, N.
  • Landschützer, P., more
  • Lovenduski, N.S.

Abstract
    The CO2 uptake by the Southern Ocean (<35°S) varies substantially on all timescales and is a major determinant of the variations of the global ocean carbon sink. Particularly strong are the decadal changes characterized by a weakening period of the Southern Ocean carbon sink in the 1990s and a rebound after 2000. The weakening in the 1990s resulted primarily from a southward shift of the westerlies that enhanced the upwelling and outgassing of respired (i.e., natural) CO2. The concurrent reduction in the storage rate of anthropogenic CO2 in the mode and intermediate waters south of 35°S suggests that this shift also decreased the uptake of anthropogenic CO2. The rebound and the subsequent strong, decade-long reinvigoration of the carbon sink appear to have been driven by cooling in the Pacific Ocean, enhanced stratification in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean sectors, and a reduced overturning. Current-generation ocean models generally do not reproduce these variations and are poorly skilled at making decadal predictions in this region.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors