SOCCOM project
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Overview
The Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling (SOCCOM) project is a large scale research project supported by the National Science Foundation, NASA, NOAA, and is based at Princeton University. The project aims to increase the understanding of the Southern Ocean and the role it plays in factors such as climate, as well as educate new scientists with oceanic observation.
In total, oceanographers and climatologists from thirteen research institutions collaborate in three distinct teams, each of which with a primary focus; the teams include observations, broader impacts, and modeling [1].
The project makes use of Argo (oceanography) float (oceanographic instrument platform) technology to monitor the temperature, salinity, and velocity of the ocean to a depth of 2000 meters. The SOCCOM regional ARGO array is being fitted with biogeochemical sensors to measure additional components such as carbon, oxygen, and nutrients [2]. The floats are free drifting pods that are deposited at specific sites where they submerge themselves and drift, all while gathering useful data. ARGO floats are ideal for this project due to the often harsh conditions of the Southern Ocean, where manned expeditions can be treacherous. They are also ideal since they can be left to collect data and be retrieved at a later time.
Mechanisms and Importance of Southern Ocean on Global Scale
The Southern Ocean is under study due to the unique phenomena that occurs within and around it. For example, despite only comprising about 30% of the Earth’s ocean area, the Southern Ocean accounts for approximately half of the anthropogenic carbon uptake, as well as the majority of the oceanic anthropogenic heat uptake [3]. These characteristics are believed to be the result of a unique oceanic circulation found in the South Ocean.
Cold water upwells from the deep, and this water is deficient in carbon. Once this water comes into contact with the warmer atmosphere, the anthropogenic carbon (CO2) and heat is absorbed into the ocean. The now warm and carbon containing surface water is then moved by means of the Ekman Transport. Along with this transport, nutrients are brought along to lower latitudes where the ecosystems depend on them (SOCCOM page citation). After the transport, the water subducts (link), where the carbon and heat mix with the deeper mixed layers (citation usclivar.org).
Role of Argo Floats in SOCCOM
The better quantification of biogeochemical variables in the oceans has been an ongoing effort and primarily this has been done with the collection of water samples via ships that are later analyzed in a lab. The benefits of measurements obtained from ships are that they are accurate and have a high vertical resolution [4]. However, the samples collected lack spatial and temporal resolution and are biased based on where and when the ship is able to sample. This is why Argo floats are used for the SOCCOM project because they are able to collect data in the Southern Ocean where ships do not have access to, and they are able to be in this environment when the conditions are too harsh for ships. Argo floats are also able to collect data on large temporal and spatial scales, which is important for determining how biogeochemical processes are changing in the Southern Ocean and the mechanisms driving the changes[5].
Besides the basic CTD (Conductivity Temperature and Depth) Profilers that are found on most floats, SOCCOM floats are outfitted with additional biogeochemical sensors such as oxygen sensors. New methods are being developed to make these oxygen sensors more accurate including the frequent calibration of the sensors when the floats are at the surface. [6] Oxygen measurements collected by floats with this calibration process improves the measurements to within a 1% accuracy in reference to measurements determined from the Winkler test for dissolved oxygen[7]. Oxygen is an important measurement in that it represents primary productivity and respiration, and concentrations of oxygen are linked to carbon concentrations via the Redfield Ratio[8]
References
- ^ "SOCCOM overview". soccom.princeton.edu. Princeton University.
- ^ "Biogeochemical Argo".
- ^ Dufour, Carolina; Frenger, Ivy; Frolicher, Thomas; Gray, Alsion; Griffes, Stephen; Morrison, Adele; Sarmiento, Jorge; Schulunegger, Sarah (2015). "Anthropogenic carbon and heat uptake by the ocean: Will the Southern Ocean remain a major sink?" (PDF). US CLIVAR. 13.
- ^ "About GO-SHIP".
- ^ Sauzède, Raphaelle; Bittig, Henry; Claustre, Herve. "Estimates of Water-Column Nutrient Concentrations and Carbonate System Parameters in the Global Ocean: A Novel Approach Based on Neural Networks".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Bushinsky, Seth M.; Emerson, Steven R.; Riser, Stephen C.; Swift, Dana D. (August 2016). "Accurate oxygen measurements on modified Argo floats using in situ air calibrations". Limnology and Oceanography: Methods. 14 (8): 491–505. doi:10.1002/lom3.10107.
- ^ Bittig, Henry C.; Körtzinger, Arne (August 2015). "Tackling Oxygen Optode Drift: Near-Surface and In-Air Oxygen Optode Measurements on a Float Provide an Accurate in Situ Reference". Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology. 32 (8): 1536–1543. doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-14-00162.1.
- ^ Redfield, Alfred. "On the proportions of organic derivatives in sea water and their relation to the composition of plankton" (PDF). James Johnstone Memorial Volume.