Determination of Regional- and Global-Scale New Production, Remineralization Rates and DOC Fluxes from the Annual Cycle of Oxygen in the Upper Ocean

Najjar (OCE-9711937) Najjar 9711937 Marine scientists are hampered by their ability to directly measure many important biogeochemical parameters such as new production and remineralization, particularly on regional and global scales. Recent analyses by the PI, Najjar, and colleagues of existing oxygen data archived at the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) show that there are significant annual cycles of oxygen that can be resolved on a global scale. No other chemical species has been measured as extensively in the oceans as oxygen has, and the cycling of oxygen can yield significant information about organic carbon cycling. In this proposal, Najjar proposes to use the climatological oxygen data, combined with a three dimensional marine biogeochemical model, to quantify regional and global scale estimates of new production, remineralization and DOC cycling. Improved biogeochemical models will be tested and updating and revisions to the NODC oxygen data set are planned. This approach will also include an error analysis of the oxygen field and resulting fluxes. The results from this proposal will represent a significant advance in our understanding of marine biogeochemical processes on large scales and thus advance our understanding of how these processes relate to global change. ***