Joint observation-model mixed-layer heat and salt budgets in the eastern tropical Atlantic

In this study, we use a joint observation-model approach to investigate the mixed-layer heat and salt annual mean and seasonal budgets in the eastern tropical Atlantic. The regional PREFCLIM observational climatology provides the budget terms with a relatively low spatial and temporal resolution compared to the online NEMO model, and this later is then re-sampled as in PREFCLIM climatology. In addition, advection terms are recomputed offline from the model as PREFCLIM gridded advection computation. In Senegal, Angola and Benguela regions, the seasonal cycle of mixed-layer temperature is mainly governed by surface heat fluxes; however, it is essentially driven by vertical heat diffusion in Equatorial region. The seasonal cycle of mixed-layer salinity is largely controlled by freshwater flux in Senegal and Benguela regions; however, it follows the variability of zonal and meridional salt advection in Equatorial and Angola regions respectively. Our results show that the time-averaged spatial distribution of NEMO offline heat/salt advection terms compares much better to PREFCLIM horizontal advection terms than the online heat/salt advection terms. However, the seasonal cycle of horizontal advection in selected regions shows that NEMO offline terms do not always compare well with PREFCLIM, sometimes less than online terms. Despite this difference, these results suggest the important role of small scale variability in mixed-layer heat and salt budgets.</p

Nitrous oxide in coastal waters

We determined atmospheric and dissolved nitrous oxide (N2O) in the surface waters of the central North Sea, the German Bight, and the Gironde estuary. The mean saturations were 104 ± 1% (central North Sea, September 1991), 101 ± 2% (German Bight, September 1991), 99 ± 1% (German Bight September 1992), and 132% (Gironde estuary, November 1991). To evaluate the contribution of coastal areas and estuaries to the oceanic emissions we assembled a compilation of literature data. We conclude that the mean saturations in coastal regions (with the exception of estuaries and regions with upwelling phenomena) are only slightly higher than in the open ocean. However, when estuarine and coastal upwelling regions are included, a computation of the global oceanic N2O flux indicates that a considerable portion (approximately 60%) of this flux is from coastal regions, mainly due to high emissions from estuaries. We estimate, using two different parameterizations of the air-sea exchange process, an annual global sea-to-air flux of 11–17 Tg N2O. Our results suggest a serious underestimation of the flux from coastal regions in widely used previous estimates

Abundance, distribution, and habitat of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) off California, 1990−2003

Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are regularly seen off the U.S. West Coast, where they forage on jellyfish (Scyphomedusae) during summer and fall. Aerial line-transect surveys were conducted in neritic waters (<92 m depth) off central and northern California during 1990−2003, providing the first foraging population estimates for Pacific leatherback turtles. Males and females of about 1.1 to 2.1 m length were observed. Estimated abundance was linked to the Northern Oscillation Index and ranged from 12 (coefficient of variation [CV] =0.75) in 1995 to 379 (CV= 0.23) in 1990, averaging 178 (CV= 0.15). Greatest densities were found off central California, where oceanographic retention areas or upwelling shadows created favorable habitat for leatherback turtle prey. Results from independent telemetry studies have linked leatherback turtles off the U.S. West Coast to one of the two largest remaining Pacific breeding populations, at Jamursba Medi, Indonesia. Nearshore waters off California thus represent an important foraging region for the critically endangered Pacific leatherback turtle

Fisheries production systems, climate change and climate variability in West Africa: an annotated bibliography

This bibliography is intended for people who are involved in fisheries, aquaculture, climate change, disaster management and policy development in West Africa or interested in one or more of these issues. The literature in this bibliography includes peer-reviewed journals, books and book chapters, grey reports and institutional technical papers, but is restricted to literature in English. They were gathered through an extensive web search using fisheries, fish, coastal, inland, aquaculture and/or in combination with climate change and impacts, climate variability, specific country names, West Africa and Gulf of Guinea as the main keywords.Fisheries, Climatic change, Aquaculture, Inland fisheries, Bibliographies, Disasters, Africa, West,

Equatorial Upwelling Enhances Nitrogen Fixation in the Atlantic Ocean

Surface waters in upwelling regions are thought to be nutrient rich and hence inhibit nitrogen fixation (diazotrophy) because diazotrophs can preferentially assimilate nitrate and ammonia instead of expending energy to fix dinitrogen. We found average nitrogen fixation rates to be two to seven times higher in the surface waters of the upwelling region of the eastern equatorial Atlantic than typically measured here during non-upwelling periods. We posit that in this region, low nitrate-phosphate ratio waters are upwelled, and an initial bloom of non-diazotrophic phytoplankton removes recently upwelled nitrate. Thereby, diazotrophy is fuelled by residual phosphate and by a combination of aeolian and upwelled sources of iron. Annually, we estimate that approximately 47 Gmol of new nitrogen is introduced by diazotrophy in upwelled waters alone and 195 Gmol N is fixed in the equatorial Atlantic region. Our findings challenge the paradigm that the highest nitrogen fixation rates occur in oligotrophic gyres and instead provide evidence of its importance in upwelling regimes where phosphate- and iron-rich waters rich are upwelled

Satellite observations of temporal terrestrial features

The application of satellite data to earth resources and environmental studies and the effects of resolution of the photographs and imagery are discussed. The nature of the data acquired by manned space flight and unmanned satellites is described. Specific applications of remotely sensed data for oceanography, hydrology, geography, and geology are examined