Damien, Pierre, Pasqueron de Fommervault, Orens, Sheinbaum, Julio, Jouanno, Julien and Duteil, Olaf (2018) Biogeochemical modeling in the open-waters of the Gulf of Mexico: seasonal, interannual and mesoscale variability of the chlorophyll concentration. [Poster] In: Ocean Science Meeting 2018. , 12.-16.02.2018, Portland, OR, USA .

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Abstract

Ocean color satellite measurements in the Gulf of Mexico open waters evidenced a clear seasonal variability in the surface chlorophyll concentration. Recent investigations in subtropical oligotrophic regions suggested that the surface chlorophyll increase may not be systematically associated to a real biomass increase but may result from physiological mechanisms. This finding may be relevant in the Gulf of Mexico as suggested by bio-optical measurements recently acquired by APEX profiling floats.

Despite the increasing amount of observations in the Gulf of Mexico open waters, data are still lacking to regionalize the seasonal and interannual variability of the chlorophyll vertical structure or to investigate how the energetic mesoscale dynamics within the Gulf of Mexico modulate the chlorophyll distribution. To overcome these limitations, we set up an eddy resolving (1/12deg) coupled bio-physical model (NEMO-PISCES) of the Gulf of Mexico. The use of recent sets of observations allowed for a careful evaluation of the vertical distribution of the nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations throughout the different seasons. The analysis of the seasonal variability of the integrated chlorophyll content revealed a much more contrasted and complex behavior than the basin scale homogeneous pattern of variability inferred from modeled and observed surface chlorophyll concentration. We show that the variability of the mixed-layer depth strongly shape the seasonal distribution of the chlorophyll concentration but also its year to year variability. Finally, we investigate some of the physical-biogeochemical coupling processes specific to GoM sub-regions and mesoscale dynamics (in particular the Loop Current and Loop Current eddies).

Document Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Poster)
Research affiliation:	OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB1 Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics > FB1-TM Theory and Modeling OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB2 Marine Biogeochemistry > FB2-BM Biogeochemical Modeling
Date Deposited:	26 Apr 2018 12:56
Last Modified:	24 Sep 2019 00:02
URI:	https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/42833

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