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Abstract The acidification of coastal waters is distinguished from the open ocean because of much stronger synergistic effects between anthropogenic forcing and local biogeochemical processes. However, ocean acidification research is still rather limited in polar coastal oceans. Here, we present a 17‐year (2002–2019) observational data set in the Chukchi Sea to determine the long‐term changes in pH and aragonite saturation state (Ωarag). We found that pH and Ωaragdeclined in different water masses with average rates of −0.0047 ± 0.0026 years−1and −0.017 ± 0.009 years−1, respectively, and are ∼2–3 times faster than those solely due to increasing atmospheric CO2. We attributed the rapid acidification to the increased dissolved inorganic carbon owing to a combination of ice melt‐induced increased atmospheric CO2invasion and subsurface remineralization induced by a stronger surface biological production as a result of the increased inflow of the nutrient‐rich Pacific water.
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A 37-year record of ocean acidification in the Southern California current
Abstract Long-term ocean time series have proven to be the most robust approach for direct observation of climate change processes such as Ocean Acidification. The California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) program has collected quarterly samples for seawater inorganic carbon since 1983. The longest time series is at CalCOFI line 90 station 90 from 1984–present, with a gap from 2002 to 2008. Here we present the first analysis of this 37- year time series, the oldest in the Pacific. Station 90.90 exhibits an unambiguous acidification signal in agreement with the global surface ocean (decrease in pH of −0.0015 ± 0.0001 yr−1), with a distinct seasonal cycle driven by temperature and total dissolved inorganic carbon. This provides direct evidence that the unique carbon chemistry signature (compared to other long standing time series) results in a reduced uptake rate of carbon dioxide (CO2) due to proximity to a mid-latitude eastern boundary current upwelling zone. Comparison to an independent empirical model estimate and climatology at the same location reveals regional differences not captured in the existing models.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2050280
- PAR ID:
- 10472561
- Publisher / Repository:
- Nature Publishing Group
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Communications Earth & Environment
- Volume:
- 4
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2662-4435
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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