A global ocean biogeochemistry general circulation model and its simulations

Abstract

An ocean biogeochemistry model was developed and incorporated into a global ocean general circulation model (LICOM) to form an ocean biogeochemistry general circulation model (OBGCM). The model was used to study the natural carbon cycle and the uptake and storage of anthropogenic CO2 in the ocean. A global export production of 12.5 Pg C yr−1 was obtained. The model estimated that in the pre-industrial era the global equatorial region within ±15° of the equator released 0.97 Pg C yr−1 to the atmosphere, which was balanced by the gain of CO2 in other regions. The post-industrial air-sea CO2 flux indicated the oceanic uptake of CO2 emitted by human activities. An increase of 20–50 μmol kg−1 for surface dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations in the 1990s relative to pre-industrial times was obtained in the simulation, which was consistent with data-based estimates. The model generated a total anthropogenic carbon inventory of 105 Pg C as of 1994, which was within the range of estimates by other researchers. Various transports of both natural and anthropogenic DIC as well as labile dissolved organic carbon (LDOC) were estimated from the simulation. It was realized that the Southern Ocean and the high-latitude region of the North Pacific are important export regions where accumulative air-sea CO2 fluxes are larger than the DIC inventory, whereas the subtropical regions are acceptance regions. The interhemispheric transport of total natural carbon (DIC+LDOC) was found to be northward (0.11 Pg C yr−1), which was just balanced by the gain of carbon from the atmosphere in the Southern Hemisphere.