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Detailed Reference Information |
Gorgues, T., Menkes, C., Aumont, O., Vialard, J., Dandonneau, Y. and Bopp, L. (2005). Biogeochemical impact of tropical instability waves in the equatorial Pacific. Geophysical Research Letters 32: doi: 10.1029/2005GL024110. issn: 0094-8276. |
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Tropical Instability Waves (TIW) have been suggested to fertilize the equatorial Pacific in iron leading to enhanced ecosystem productivity. Using a coupled dynamical--biogeochemical model, we show that contrary to this suggestion, TIWs induce a decrease of iron concentration by 10% at the equator and by about 3% over the Wyrtki box <90¿W--180, 5¿N--5¿S>. Chlorophyll decreases by 10% at the equator and 1% over the Wyrtki box. This leads to a decrease of new production up to 10% at the equator (4% over the Wyrtki box). TIW-induced horizontal advection exports iron-rich equatorial water to the north, but also brings iron-depleted water to the equator leading to a net decrease in iron. Additional iron decrease is caused by TIW-induced iron vertical diffusion. These two mechanisms are partly counter balanced by a decrease of iron biological uptake, driven by lower phytoplankton concentrations, and to a lesser extent by TIW-induced iron vertical advection. |
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Abstract |
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Keywords
Biogeosciences, Biogeochemical cycles, processes, and modeling (0412, 0793, 1615, 4805, 4912), Oceanography, General, Equatorial oceanography, Oceanography, Physical, Eddies and mesoscale processes |
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Publisher
American Geophysical Union 2000 Florida Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009-1277 USA 1-202-462-6900 1-202-328-0566 service@agu.org |
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