North Atlantic production of nitrous oxide in the context of changing atmospheric levels.

Freing, Alina, Wallace, Douglas W.R., Tanhua, Toste , Walter, Sylvia and Bange, Hermann W. (2009) North Atlantic production of nitrous oxide in the context of changing atmospheric levels. Open Access Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 23 . GB4015. DOI 10.1029/2009GB003472.

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Abstract

We use transit time distributions calculated from tracer data together with in situ measurements of N(2)O to estimate the concentration of biologically produced N(2)O ([N(2)O](xs)) and N(2)O production rates in the central North Atlantic Ocean. Our approach to estimation of N(2)O production rates integrates the effects of potentially varying production and decomposition mechanisms along the transport path of a water mass. We find that previously used approaches overestimate the oceanic equilibrium N(2)O concentrations by 8-13% and thus underestimate the strength of N(2)O sources in large parts of the water column. Thus the quantitative characteristics of the [N(2)O](xs)/AOU relationship used as an indicator of nitrification are distorted. We developed a new parameterization of N(2)O production during nitrification depending linearly on AOU and exponentially on temperature and depth, which can be applied to calculate N(2)O production due to nitrification in the entire ocean including oxygen minimum zones.

Document Type: Article
Additional Information: WOS:000271579700003
Keywords: ocean; seawater; carbon; n2o; water; air; solubility; pacific; ages
Research affiliation: OceanRep > The Future Ocean - Cluster of Excellence
OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB2 Marine Biogeochemistry > FB2-CH Chemical Oceanography
Kiel University
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: AGU (American Geophysical Union)
Related URLs:
Projects: SOPRAN, MEMENTO, Future Ocean
Date Deposited: 16 Nov 2009 15:40
Last Modified: 23 Sep 2019 18:33
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/6436

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