Anthropogenic carbon in the Atlantic Ocean at 40°S from 1972 to 2014
Summary
The anthropogenic carbon (Cant) concentration at 40°S in the Atlantic Ocean was calculated over the period 1972-2014. The C* method was used to eliminate the biological fraction of the total DIC, both AOU and NO3 were used in the calculations. With the use of a multiple linear regression method the size of the oceanic CO2 sink over this period was determined as 34.9 ± 3.19 mol m-2 for Cant-AOU and 35.9 ± 3.71 mol m-2 for Cant-NO3. Roughly 100% of the total DIC increase over this period can be related to the increase in Cant concentration. In the depth range where the products of organic matter remineralization are high on top of the Cant increase, the decreased TA/DIC ratio results in an increased sensitivity for the pCO2, pH and H+ ions. The carbonate system acts as a whole and is altered upon additions of CO2 to the surface ocean.