Impacts of Mesoscale Processes on Biogeochemical Fluxes in the North Atlantic: Basin-Scale Eddy-Resolving Simulations

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

Prior modeling efforts have demonstrated a dramatic shift in nutrient transport fluxes as resolution was increased from coarse scales (1.6') to the eddy resolving case (0.1'). Whereas coarse resolution models suggest the dominance of convective and diffusive nutrient supply, higher resolutions showed that eddy-induced upwelling was important. For this reason, the principal investigator plans to run a five-component biogeochemical model at an eddy-resolving spatial resolution of 0.1' to test the following two hypotheses: (1) the primary impact of mesoscale eddies on upper ocean ecosystems is the supply of inorganic nutrients through vertical transport processes, and (2) below the euphotic zone, the primary influence of mesoscale eddies on biogeochemical cycling is horizontal transport of dissolved materials. Understanding gained from these modeling studies will be used to guide the development of parameterizations for mesoscale biogeochemical processes to permit their inclusion in global ocean circulation models.