Back to Search Start Over

Southern Ocean Phytoplankton Blooms Observed by Biogeochemical Floats

Southern Ocean Phytoplankton Blooms Observed by Biogeochemical Floats

Authors :
Channing J. Prend
Dhruv Balwada
Takaya Uchida
Sarah T. Gille
Emmanuel Boss
Ryan Abernathey
Source :
Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans. 124:7328-7343
Publication Year :
2019
Publisher :
American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2019.

Abstract

The spring bloom in the Southern Ocean is the rapid-growth phase of the seasonal cycle in phytoplankton. Many previous studies have characterized the spring bloom using chlorophyll estimates from satellite ocean color observations. Assumptions regarding the chlorophyll-to-carbon ratio within phytoplankton and vertical structure of biogeochemical variables lead to uncertainty in satellite-based estimates of phytoplankton carbon biomass. Here, we revisit the characterizations of the bloom using optical backscatter from biogeochemical floats deployed by the Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modelling (SOCCOM) and Southern Ocean and Climate Field Studies with Innovative Tools (SOCLIM) projects. In particular, by providing a three-dimensional view of the seasonal cycle, we are able to identify basin-wide bloom characteristics corresponding to physical features; biomass is low in Ekman downwelling regions north of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) region, and high within and south of the ACC.

Details

ISSN :
21699291 and 21699275
Volume :
124
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........5a8eedfa85e8b3679cb47259394c7f9c
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jc015355