Continuous pCO2 measurements under the sea ice in Arctic and Antarctic waters onboard an icebreaker.

• High-frequency underway pCO2 measurements were successfully performed in the Arctic Ocean in 2005, and in the Antarctic Southern Ocean in 2006 onboard the Swedish I/B Oden. We traversed in both open water and heavy sea ice conditions. The seawater intake was placed at the bow of the ship at approximately 8 meters depth, which enabled immediate under ice measurements in ice covered areas. In both studies, preliminary data showed rapid changes in the pCO2 and oxygen values in the ice zones, which was related to physical fronts and changing sea-ice conditions. However, the under-ice pCO2 levels differed in the two high-latitude oceans, likely due to different ecosystem dynamics involving ice-algae versus pelagic phytoplankton production. Future participation in expeditions to Antarctic Southern Ocean, and a long-term study in the Arctic Ocean in 2007/2008 will enable us to further investigate the biogeochemical dynamics in both Polar seas.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Meteorologi och atmosfärforskning (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Oceanografi, hydrologi och vattenresurser (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Oceanography, Hydrology and Water Resources (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Analytisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Analytical Chemistry (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Klimatforskning (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Climate Research (hsv//eng)

Keyword

carbon dioxide

oceanic uptake

polar oceans

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kon (subject category)