Interannual variations of the Antarctic Ocean CO2 uptake from 1986 to 1994

The interannual variations of CO2 sources and sinks in the surface waters of the Antarctic Ocean (south of 50°S) were studied between 1986 and 1994. An existing, slightly modified one-dimensional model describing the mixed-layer carbon cycle was used for this study and forced by available satellite-derived and climatological data. Between 1986 and 1994, the mean Antarctic Ocean CO2 uptake was 0.53 Pg C year−1 with an interannual variability of 0.15 Pg C year−1. Interannual variation of the Antarctic Ocean CO2 uptake is related to the Antarctic Circumpolar Wave (ACW), which affects sea surface temperature (SST), wind-speed and sea-ice extent. The CO2 uptake in the Antarctic Ocean has increased from 1986 to 1994 by 0.32 Pg C. It was found that over the 9 years, the surface ocean carbon dioxide fugacity (fCO2) increase was half that of the atmospheric CO2 increase inducing an increase of the air–sea fCO2 gradient. This effect is responsible for 60% of the Antarctic Ocean CO2 uptake increase between 1986 and 1994, as the ACW effect cancels out over the 9 years investigated.