On the distribution of anthropogenic CO2 in the Atlantic and Southern oceans

Abstract Contours showing the penetration of anthropogenic CO 2 are given for four cross sections in the Atlantic Ocean based on the Geochemical Ocean Sections Study (GEOSECS) CO 2 data and for seven sections in the Southern Ocean based on International Geophysical Year data. The results agree well with tritium and 14 C data and indicate that the excess CO 2 has penetrated to below the thermocline everywhere in the Atlantic Ocean and even deeper on the western side. Excess CO 2 has penetrated to the sea floor in the northwest Atlantic Ocean north of about 15°N, to about 2000 m near the Subtropical Convergence, but only to shallower depths in the Equatorial region. In the Southern Ocean the anthropogenic CO 2 has penetrated relatively deeper in the Drake Passage north of the Polar Front, shallower south of the front, and even shallower outside of the Drake Passage. South of the Polar Front the excess CO 2 penetrates to no more than 500 m and frequently only to 200 m. On the continental shelf the excess CO 2 exists throughout the water column, but little or none can be found in the Antarctic Bottom Water.

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