The Changing Carbon Cycle-Contribution from Climate Variability

University Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

This project employs a coupled atmosphere-land-ocean carbon model, driven by NCEP reanalysis products, to investigate the sources of the large interannual variability in the concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The hypothesis that these fluctuations arise from variability in the exchange of carbon between the ocean and atmosphere, and between the atmosphere and the land, will be tested. Fresh insights into such problems as the modulation of the northern hemisphere carbon sink, the CO2 response to ENSO, and the way in which interdecadal modes of climate variability manifest themselves as carbon sources and sinks are anticipated. This research addresses a major source of uncertainty in climate change studies, and is expected to provide useful results to both the scientific community and general public.