Oxygen variance and meridional oxygen supply in the Tropical North East Atlantic oxygen minimum zone.

Hahn, Johannes , Brandt, Peter , Greatbatch, Richard John , Krahmann, Gerd and Körtzinger, Arne (2014) Oxygen variance and meridional oxygen supply in the Tropical North East Atlantic oxygen minimum zone. Climate Dynamics, 43 (11). pp. 2999-3024. DOI 10.1007/s00382-014-2065-0.

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Abstract

The distribution of the mean oceanic oxygen concentration results from a balance between ventilation and consumption. In the eastern tropical Pacific and Atlantic, this balance creates extended oxygen minimum zones (OMZ) at intermediate depth. Here, we analyze hydrographic and velocity data from shipboard and moored observations, which were taken along the 23°W meridian cutting through the Tropical North East Atlantic (TNEA) OMZ, to study the distribution and generation of oxygen variability. By applying the extended Osborn–Cox model, the respective role of mesoscale stirring and diapycnal mixing in producing enhanced oxygen variability, found at the southern and upper boundary of the OMZ, is quantified. From the well-ventilated equatorial region toward the OMZ core a northward eddy-driven oxygen flux is observed whose divergence corresponds to an oxygen supply of about 2.4 μmol kg−1 year−1 at the OMZ core depth. Above the OMZ core, mesoscale eddies act to redistribute low- and high-oxygen waters associated with westward and eastward currents, respectively. Here, absolute values of the local oxygen supply >10 μmol kg−1 year−1 are found, likely balanced by mean zonal advection. Combining our results with recent studies, a refined oxygen budget for the TNEA OMZ is derived. Eddy-driven meridional oxygen supply contributes more than 50 % of the supply required to balance the estimated oxygen consumption. The oxygen tendency in the OMZ, as given by the multidecadal oxygen decline, is maximum slightly above the OMZ core and represents a substantial imbalance of the oxygen budget reaching about 20 % of the magnitude of the eddy-driven oxygen supply.

Document Type: Article
Additional Information: This paper is a contribution to the special issue on tropical Atlantic variability and coupled model climate biases that have been the focus of the recently completed Tropical Atlantic Climate Experiment (TACE), an international CLIVAR program (http://www.clivar.org/organization/atlantic/tace). This special issue is coordinated by William Johns, Peter Brandt, and Ping Chang, representatives of the TACE Observations and TACE Modeling and Synthesis working groups. WOS:000344862200008
Keywords: Oxygen minimum zone; Tropical North East Atlantic; Oxygen variance; Eddy ventilation; Oxygen supply; Oxygen budget
Research affiliation: OceanRep > SFB 754
OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB2 Marine Biogeochemistry > FB2-CH Chemical Oceanography
OceanRep > SFB 754 > A4
OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB1 Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics > FB1-TM Theory and Modeling
OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB1 Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics > FB1-PO Physical Oceanography
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: Springer
Projects: SFB754, CLIVAR, TACE, Future Ocean
Expeditions/Models/Experiments:
Date Deposited: 07 Mar 2014 13:23
Last Modified: 08 Nov 2023 05:17
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/23732

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