Does a ballast effect occur in the surface ocean?

Mathematics – Logic

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

4

Oceanography: Biological And Chemical: Biogeochemical Cycles, Processes, And Modeling (0412, 0414, 0793, 1615, 4912), Oceanography: Biological And Chemical: Nutrients And Nutrient Cycling (0470, 1050), Oceanography: Biological And Chemical: Carbon Cycling (0428), Global Change: Biogeochemical Cycles, Processes, And Modeling (0412, 0414, 0793, 4805, 4912)

Scientific paper

The oceanic biological carbon pump (BCP), a large (10 GT C yr-1) component of the global carbon cycle, is dominated by the sinking (export) of particulate organic carbon (POC) from surface waters. In the deep ocean, strong correlations between downward fluxes of biominerals and POC (the so-called ‘ballast effect’) suggest a potential causal relationship, the nature of which remains uncertain. We show that similar correlations occur in the upper ocean with high rates of export only occurring when biominerals are also exported. Exported particles are generally biomineral rich relative to the upper ocean standing stock, due either to: (1) exported material being formed from the aggregation of a biomineral rich subset of upper ocean particles; or (2) the unfractionated aggregation of the upper ocean particulate pool with respiration then selectively removing POC relative to biominerals until particles are dense enough to sink.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Does a ballast effect occur in the surface ocean? does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Does a ballast effect occur in the surface ocean?, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Does a ballast effect occur in the surface ocean? will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1580467

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.