Atlantic ocean rates of carbon-flux, and carbon remineralization can be calculated, one from the other, and when combined can be used to calculate ocean water-column nutrient retention efficiency. Here, data from helium-tritium dating, advection-diffusion modeling, apparent oxygen utilization (AOU), respiratory electron transport activity (ETS), and three different types of sediment traps were used to calculate metabolic-based rates of carbon-flux, and carbon remineralization in the ocean water-column. Carbon remineralization (Jc), at 100m, ranged from 0.4 to 109 millimol m^-3 yr^-1and at 1000m, it ranged  more than two orders of magnitude lower, from 0.001 to 4.3 millimol m^-3 yr^-1. We then used Jc and sediment trap data to calculate carbon flux (Fc) profiles. Fc ranged from 1.5 to 17.8 millimol m^-2 yr^-1 at 100m and to 0.03 to 12.1 millimol  m^-2 yr^-1 at 1000m. Integrating Jc from the bottom of the euphotic zone to the ocean bottom yielded a North Atlantic export carbon production range of 0.07 to 23.3 mol m^-2 yr^-1. The ratio, Jc/Fc, as a percent, was the nutrient retention efficiency that predicts regenerated production. NRE is inversely related to carbon-flux transfer efficiency (Teff) and both NRE and Teff are related to b_J and b_F, the different attenuation exponents of the Jc and Fc power functions. For a 50m water column centered at 125m, NRE ranged from 51 to 27% while Teff ranged from 49 to 73%. Finally, benthic Jc was calculated from Fc, using different limits of integration. For the North Atlantic, we found that benthic Jc ranged from 2.1 to 7040.0  millimol m^-2 yr^-1.  

Primary Presenter: Ted Packard, University of Las Palmas Gran Canaria (theodore.packard@ulpgc.es)

Authors:

Theodore Packard, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria  (theodore.packard@ulpgc.es)

Ico Martinez, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria  (ico.martinez@ulpgc.es)

Natalia Osma, University of Antofagasta, Chile  (natalia.osma@imo-chile.cl)

Igor Fernandez-Urruzola, University of Concepción, Chile  (igor.fernandez@imo-chile.cl)

Ángel Rodriguez-Santana, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria  (angel.santana@ulpgc.es)

Francisco Machin, University of las Palmas de Gran Canaria  (francisco.machin@ulpgc.es)

Borja Aguiar-Gonzalez, University of las Palmas de Gran Canaria  (borja.aguiar@ulpgc.es)

May Gomez, University of las Palmas de Gran Canaria  (may.gomez@ulpgc.es)