Descripción del proyecto
Estudio del océano Antártico para predecir cambios climáticos
El océano Antártico absorbe más CO2 que ningún otra masa de agua. El agua modal subantártica (SAMW, por sus siglas en inglés) y aguas antárticas intermedias (AAIW, por sus siglas en inglés) contribuyen a la absorción y al almacenamiento de gases antropogénicos como el CO2. El proyecto financiado con fondos europeos SO-CUP pretende identificar y cuantificar los procesos que controlan la cantidad de carbono inorgánico que se ve subducido con las SAMW/AAIW. Integrará el uso de observaciones «in situ» recientes de boyas biogeoquímicas Argo y un modelo oceánico biogeoquímico-físico acoplado de alta resolución y de vanguardia que asimila datos (B-SOSE). Al arrojar luz sobre los procesos de ventilación y absorción del carbono en el océano Antártico, el proyecto ayudará a predecir su respuesta a cambios climáticos actuales y futuros.
Objetivo
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.
Ámbito científico
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Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinador
SO17 1BJ Southampton
Reino Unido