Gulf of Alaska | Climate and Oceanography DOCTORATE POSTER PRESENTATION Controls on the timing and extent of peak pCO2 at the Gulf of Alaska Ecosystem Observatory Presenter: Addie Norgaard , anorgaard2@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Fairbanks Claudine Hauri , chauri@alaska.edu Seth Danielson , sldanielson@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Brita Irving , bkirving@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Fairbanks, International Arctic Research Center Ocean pH is declining globally as the ocean absorbs anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Acidification can impair organismal function, with possible far reaching consequences across the entire ecosystem. In the open ocean, the progression of ocean acidification is relatively consistent with the increase in atmospheric pCO2. However, in dynamic coastal regions, the emergence of harmful ocean acidification conditions is influenced by underlying variability in carbonate chemistry. Therefore, characterizing spatial and temporal patterns of the inorganic carbon system is important for understanding how ocean acidification conditions will progress in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and how ocean acidification will impact the marine ecosystem. Despite this, inorganic carbon dynamics in the GOA are not well understood due to sparse data coverage and large natural variability. Here we present two years of partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) sensor data at the GOA Ecosystem Observatory. One year of pH sensor data is available, and the missing period is estimated using an empirical algorithm. Data reveals a consistent winter pattern, but significant interannual variability in summer and fall. This work investigates how variation in mixing and primary production control the timing and extent of the annual peaks in acidity and pCO2.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 104
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