Summary
This study produced 204 monthly maps of air–sea CO2 flux across the Arctic north of 60°N from 1997–2013 using self-organising map techniques applied to shipboard pCO2 measurements and calculated inorganic carbon data. The Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas functioned as net CO2 sinks across all basins, with strongest winter uptake in the Greenland/Norwegian and Barents Seas (driven by wind stress) and strongest summer uptake in the Chukchi Sea (driven by sea-ice retreat). The findings reveal spatially heterogeneous and temporally variable CO2 sequestration patterns, with recent trends showing increased uptake in some regions and decreased uptake in others.
UK applicability
The study characterises Arctic carbon cycling and regional CO2 sink dynamics; whilst not directly applicable to UK farming systems, the findings are relevant to UK climate and ocean policy, particularly regarding carbon accounting frameworks and understanding high-latitude climate feedbacks that may influence North Atlantic and UK weather patterns.
Key measures
Monthly air–sea CO2 flux maps (204 total); partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) in surface water; CO2 uptake rates (mmol m⁻² day⁻¹); annual CO2 uptake (TgC yr⁻¹); seasonal and interannual variability patterns
Outcomes reported
The study quantified monthly air–sea CO2 fluxes across the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas from 1997–2013, establishing basin-wide distribution patterns and seasonal to interannual variability. All Arctic regions were identified as net CO2 sinks, with the annual uptake estimated at 180 TgC yr⁻¹.
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