High productivity in an ice melting hot spot at the eastern boundary of the Weddell Gyre

W Geibert; P Assmy; DCE Bakker; C Hanfland; M Hoppema; L Pichevin; M Schroder; JN Schwarz; I Stimac; U Usbeck; A Webb

doi:10.1029/2009GB003657

High productivity in an ice melting hot spot at the eastern boundary of the Weddell Gyre

W Geibert, P Assmy, DCE Bakker, C Hanfland, M Hoppema, L Pichevin, M Schroder, JN Schwarz, I Stimac, U Usbeck, A Webb

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Southern Ocean (SO) plays a key role in modulating atmospheric CO 2 via physical and biological processes. However, over much of the SO, biological activity is iron-limited. New in situ data from the Antarctic zone south of Africa in a region centered at ~20°E-25°E reveal a previously overlooked region of high primary production, comparable in size to the northwest African upwelling region. Here, sea ice together with enclosed icebergs is channeled by prevailing winds to the eastern boundary of the Weddell Gyre, where a sharp transition to warmer waters causes melting. This cumulative melting provides a steady source of iron, fuelling an intense phytoplankton bloom that is not fully captured by monthly satellite production estimates. These findings imply that future changes in sea-ice cover and dynamics could have a significant effect on carbon sequestration in the SO.

Original language	English
Article number	GB3007
Journal	Global Biogeochemical Cycles
Volume	24
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GB003657
Publication status	Published - 2010

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10.1029/2009GB003657

Cite this

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title = "High productivity in an ice melting hot spot at the eastern boundary of the Weddell Gyre",

abstract = "The Southern Ocean (SO) plays a key role in modulating atmospheric CO 2 via physical and biological processes. However, over much of the SO, biological activity is iron-limited. New in situ data from the Antarctic zone south of Africa in a region centered at ~20°E-25°E reveal a previously overlooked region of high primary production, comparable in size to the northwest African upwelling region. Here, sea ice together with enclosed icebergs is channeled by prevailing winds to the eastern boundary of the Weddell Gyre, where a sharp transition to warmer waters causes melting. This cumulative melting provides a steady source of iron, fuelling an intense phytoplankton bloom that is not fully captured by monthly satellite production estimates. These findings imply that future changes in sea-ice cover and dynamics could have a significant effect on carbon sequestration in the SO.",

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T1 - High productivity in an ice melting hot spot at the eastern boundary of the Weddell Gyre

AU - Geibert, W

AU - Assmy, P

AU - Bakker, DCE

AU - Hanfland, C

AU - Hoppema, M

AU - Pichevin, L

AU - Schroder, M

AU - Schwarz, JN

AU - Stimac, I

AU - Usbeck, U

AU - Webb, A

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - The Southern Ocean (SO) plays a key role in modulating atmospheric CO 2 via physical and biological processes. However, over much of the SO, biological activity is iron-limited. New in situ data from the Antarctic zone south of Africa in a region centered at ~20°E-25°E reveal a previously overlooked region of high primary production, comparable in size to the northwest African upwelling region. Here, sea ice together with enclosed icebergs is channeled by prevailing winds to the eastern boundary of the Weddell Gyre, where a sharp transition to warmer waters causes melting. This cumulative melting provides a steady source of iron, fuelling an intense phytoplankton bloom that is not fully captured by monthly satellite production estimates. These findings imply that future changes in sea-ice cover and dynamics could have a significant effect on carbon sequestration in the SO.

AB - The Southern Ocean (SO) plays a key role in modulating atmospheric CO 2 via physical and biological processes. However, over much of the SO, biological activity is iron-limited. New in situ data from the Antarctic zone south of Africa in a region centered at ~20°E-25°E reveal a previously overlooked region of high primary production, comparable in size to the northwest African upwelling region. Here, sea ice together with enclosed icebergs is channeled by prevailing winds to the eastern boundary of the Weddell Gyre, where a sharp transition to warmer waters causes melting. This cumulative melting provides a steady source of iron, fuelling an intense phytoplankton bloom that is not fully captured by monthly satellite production estimates. These findings imply that future changes in sea-ice cover and dynamics could have a significant effect on carbon sequestration in the SO.

U2 - 10.1029/2009GB003657

DO - 10.1029/2009GB003657

M3 - Article

VL - 24

JO - Global Biogeochemical Cycles

JF - Global Biogeochemical Cycles

SN - 0886-6236

IS - 3

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