Abstract
We present an Arctic seasonal survey of carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2) dynamics within sea ice brine and related air‐ice CO2 fluxes. The survey was carried out from early spring to the beginning of summer in the Arctic coastal waters of the Amundsen Gulf. High concentrations of pCO2 (up to 1834 μatm) were observed in the sea ice in early April as a consequence of concentration of solutes in brines, CaCO3 precipitation and microbial respiration. CaCO3 precipitation was detected through anomalies in total alkalinity (TA) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). This precipitation seems to have occurred in highly saline brine in the upper part of the ice cover and in bulk ice. As summer draws near, the ice temperature increases and brine pCO2 shifts from a large supersaturation (1834 μatm) to a marked undersaturation (down to almost 0 μatm). This decrease was ascribed to brine dilution by ice meltwater, dissolution of CaCO3 and photosynthesis during the sympagic algal bloom. The magnitude of the CO2fluxes was controlled by ice temperature (through its control on brine volume and brine channels connectivity) and the concentration gradient between brine and the atmosphere. However, the state of the ice‐interface clearly affects air‐ice CO2 fluxes.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
