Trends in anthropogenic CO2 in water masses of the Subtropical North Atlantic Ocean

• Published in: Progress in oceanography 2015-02, Vol.131, p.21-32
• Main Authors: Guallart, Elisa F., Schuster, Ute, Fajar, Noelia M., Legge, Oliver, Brown, Peter, Pelejero, Carles, Messias, Marie-Jose, Calvo, Eva, Watson, Andrew, Ríos, Aida F., Pérez, Fiz F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon; Carbon capture and storage; Carbon dioxide; Enrichment; Labrador; Limbs; Oceanography; Sea water; Trends
• ISSN: 0079-6611; 1873-4472
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2014.11.006

•The greatest Cant enrichment (∼1μmolkg−1yr−1) is found in the uppermost layer.•Zonal variability in the decadal Cant storage rates becomes significant below 1000m.•The Labrador Sea Water contributes remarkably to the deeper Cant enrichment.•Cant has been absorbed more intensively in the western side of the Subtropical Gyre.•Cant penetration is comparable to measurements in Atlantic fixed time series stations. The variability in the storage of the oceanic anthropogenic CO2 (Cant) on decadal timescales is evaluated within the main water masses of the Subtropical North Atlantic along 24.5°N. Inorganic carbon measurements on five cruises of the A05 section are used to assess the changes in Cant between 1992 and 2011, using four methods (ΔC∗, TrOCA, φCT0, TTD). We find good agreement between the Cant distribution and storage obtained using chlorofluorocarbons and CO2 measurements in both the vertical and horizontal scales. Cant distribution shows higher concentrations and greater decadal storage rates in the upper layers with both values decreasing with depth. The greatest enrichment is obserbed in the central water masses, with their upper limb showing a mean annual accumulation of about 1μmolkg−1yr−1 and the lower limb showing, on average, half that value. We detect zonal gradients in the accumulation of Cant. This finding is less clear in the upper waters, where greater variability exists between methods. In accordance with data from time series stations, greater accumulation of Cant is observed in the upper waters of the western basin of the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre. In intermediate and deep layers, the zonal gradient in the storage of Cant is more robust between methods. The much lower mean storage rates found along the section (