Air–sea carbon dioxide fluxes in the coastal southeastern tropical Pacific

Abstract

Comprehensive sea surface surveys of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO 2) have been made in the upwelling system of the coastal (0–200 km from shore) southeastern tropical Pacific since 2004. The shipboard data have been supplemented by mooring and drifter based observations. Air–sea flux estimates were made by combining satellite derived wind fields with the direct sea surface pCO 2 measurements. While there was considerable spatial heterogeneity, there was a significant flux of CO 2 from the ocean to the atmosphere during all survey periods in the region between 4° and 20° south latitude. During periods of strong upwelling the average flux out of the ocean exceeded 10 moles of CO 2 per square meter per year. During periods of weaker upwelling and high productivity the CO 2 evasion rate was near 2.5 mol/m 2/yr. The average annual fluxes exceed 5 mol/m 2/yr. These findings are in sharp contrast to results obtained in mid-latitude upwelling systems along the west coast of North America where the average air–sea CO 2 flux is low and can often be from the atmosphere into the ocean. In the Peruvian upwelling system there are several likely factors that contribute to sea surface pCO 2 levels that are well above those of the atmosphere in spite of elevated primary productivity: (1) the upwelling source waters contain little pre-formed nitrate and are affected by denitrification, (2) iron limitation of primary production enhanced by offshore upwelling driven by the curl of the wind stress and (3) rapid sea surface warming. The combined carbon, nutrient and oxygen dynamics of this region make it a candidate site for studies of global change.