Descrizione del progetto
Studiare l’Oceano Antartico per prevedere i cambiamenti climatici
Fra gli oceani del mondo, l’Oceano Antartico assorbe più CO2 di qualsiasi altra massa d’acqua. La Subantarctic Mode Water (SAMW) e l’Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) contribuiscono all’assorbimento e allo stoccaggio di gas antropogenici come la CO2. Il progetto SO-CUP, finanziato dall’UE, cerca di individuare e quantificare i processi che controllano la quantità di carbonio inorganico che viene subdotto con le masse d’acqua SAMW/AAIW. Esso integrerà l’uso di recenti osservazioni in situ dai galleggianti biogeochimici Argo e un modello oceanico biogeochimico-fisico accoppiato ad alta risoluzione, all’avanguardia e in grado di assimilare dati (B-SOSE). Facendo luce sui processi di ventilazione e di assorbimento del carbonio nell’Oceano Antartico, il progetto contribuirà a prevederne la risposta ai cambiamenti climatici in corso e a quelli futuri.
Obiettivo
The Southern Ocean (SO) is a disproportionately important region, relative to its size, for mitigating the consequences of the anthropogenic climate change, being responsible for 43% and 75% of the ocean uptake of anthropogenic CO2 and heat, respectively. The Subantarctic Mode Water (SAMW) and Antarctic Intermediate Waters (AAIW) effect the bulk of this uptake. Yet the dynamical processes that control the formation of these water masses in the thick winter mixed layers to the north of the SubAntarctic Front (SAF), and the associated drawdown of carbon, are not well understood, primarily as a result of the scarcity of data during winter in this remote region. Hence, the present and future evolution of the SO carbon sink remains the subject of vigorous debate. The main goal of the SO-CUP project is to identify and quantify the processes that control the amount of inorganic carbon that is subducted with the SAMW/AAIW. To do so, the work plan integrates the use of recent in situ observations from biogeochemical Argo floats and a state-of-the-art data-assimilating, high-resolution coupled biogeochemical-physical ocean model (B-SOSE). Through analysis of these novel datasets, which allow for unprecedented data coverage of the SO in winter, the SO-CUP project will produce a major step forward toward understanding the ventilation and carbon uptake processes in the SO, and will help to predict their response to ongoing and future climatic changes. This proposal will also enable Dr. Fernández-Castro to decisively broaden his expertise on ocean physics and biogeochemistry, and to gain experience in the state-of-the-art technologies in these disciplines. These new skills and knowledge will propel Dr. Fernández-Castro’s career toward a status of independent scientist with high international visibility. Further, the SO-CUP project will establish new links between the EU and US communities for the investigation of the fundamental role of the SO in the climate system.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinatore
SO17 1BJ Southampton
Regno Unito