Gases in Sea Ice 1975 - 1979.
Abstract
Although this research was concerned with several trace gases, carbon dioxide was of primary concern. The arctic and subarctic regions represent nearly 10% of the northern hemispheric surface, half of which is Arctic Ocean and tundra. Global atmospheric diffusion models for CO2 are not entirely satisfactory for the arctic where winter-summer differences in CO2 concentration are the largest in the world. There is a substantial amount of data on measured atmospheric CO2 levels of the arctic environment, but there is a significant lack of information for sources and sinks, particularly with respect to seasonal and geographic rates of exchange. Annual sea ice and frozen tundra are not sealed media, but evolve significant quantities of carbon dioxide throughout the winter. The high latitude arctic region is found to be a significant net annual source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Annual sea ice permeable to gases because of its brine content, that it is enriched in some of these trace gases, that it outgases throughout the winter, and that for periods of time it controls tropospheric concentrations for some of these gases. We have also observed and reported similar effects for the tundra for both summer and winter conditions. Copies of recent technical papers submitted for publication are appended.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA082745
Entities
People
- John J. Kelley
- Thomas A. Gosink
Organizations
- University of Alaska Fairbanks