Ventilation of the North Atlantic Ocean during the Last Glacial Maximum: A comparison between simulated and observed radiocarbon ages

The distribution of radiocarbon during simulations of the Last Glacial Maximum with a coupled ocean-atmosphere-sea ice model is compared with sediment core measurements from the equatorial Atlantic Ceara Rise, Blake Ridge, Caribbean Sea, and South China Sea. During these simulations we introduce a perturbation of North Atlantic freshwater fluxes leading to varying strengths of the Atlantic meridional overturning. The best fit with the observations is obtained for an overturning weakened by 40% compared with today. Further, we simulate the phenomenon of an “age reversal” found in deep sea corals, but we suggest that this indicates rather a sudden interruption of deep water formation instead of an increase in ventilation, which was suggested earlier

Isotopic constraints on the pre-industrial oceanic nitrogen budget

The size of the bio-available (i.e. "fixed") nitrogen inventory in the ocean influences global marine productivity and the biological carbon pump. Despite its importance, the pre-industrial rates for the major source and sink terms of the oceanic fixed nitrogen budget, N2 fixation and denitrification, respectively, are not well known. However, these processes leave distinguishable imprints on the ratio of stable nitrogen isotopes, δ15N, which can therefore help to infer their patterns and rates. Here we use δ15N observations from the water column and a new database of seafloor measurements to constrain rates of N2 fixation and denitrification predicted by a global three-dimensional Model of Ocean Biogeochemistry and Isotopes (MOBI). Sensitivity experiments were performed to quantify uncertainties associated with the isotope effect of denitrification in the water column and sediments. They show that the level of nitrate utilization in suboxic zones, that is the balance between nitrate consumption by denitrification and nitrate replenishment by mixing (dilution effect), significantly affects the isotope effect of water column denitrification and thus global mean δ15NO3−. Experiments with lower levels of nitrate utilization within the suboxic zone (i.e. higher residual water column nitrate concentrations, ranging from 20–32 μM) require higher ratios of benthic to water column denitrification (BD:WCD = 0.75–1.4, respectively), to satisfy the global mean NO3− and δ15NO3− constraints in the modern ocean. This suggests that nitrate utilization in suboxic zones play an important role in global nitrogen isotope cycling. Increasing the net fractionation factor for benthic denitrification (ϵBD = 0–4‰) requires even higher ratios of benthic to water column denitrification (BD:WCD = 1.4–3.5, respectively). The model experiments that best reproduce observed seafloor δ15N support the middle to high-end estimates for the net fractionation factor of benthic denitrification (ϵBD = 2–4‰). Assuming a balanced fixed nitrogen budget, we estimate that pre-industrial rates of N2 fixation, water column denitrification, and benthic denitrification were approximately 195–345, 65–75, and 130–270 Tg N yr−1, respectively. Although uncertainties still exist, these results suggest that previous estimates of N2 fixation have been significantly underestimated and the residence time for oceanic fixed nitrogen is between ~ 1500–3000 yr

A Three-Dimensional Model of the Marine Nitrogen Cycle during the Last Glacial Maximum Constrained by Sedimentary Isotopes

Nitrogen is a key limiting nutrient that influences marine productivity and carbon sequestration in the ocean via the biological pump. In this study, we present the first estimates of nitrogen cycling in a coupled 3D ocean-biogeochemistry-isotope model forced with realistic boundary conditions from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) ~21,000 years before present constrained by nitrogen isotopes. The model predicts a large decrease in nitrogen loss rates due to higher oxygen concentrations in the thermocline and sea level drop, and, as a response, reduced nitrogen fixation. Model experiments are performed to evaluate effects of hypothesized increases of atmospheric iron fluxes and oceanic phosphorus inventory relative to present-day conditions. Enhanced atmospheric iron deposition, which is required to reproduce observations, fuels export production in the Southern Ocean causing increased deep ocean nutrient storage. This reduces transport of preformed nutrients to the tropics via mode waters, thereby decreasing productivity, oxygen deficient zones, and water column N-loss there. A larger global phosphorus inventory up to 15% cannot be excluded from the currently available nitrogen isotope data. It stimulates additional nitrogen fixation that increases the global oceanic nitrogen inventory, productivity, and water column N-loss. Among our sensitivity simulations, the best agreements with nitrogen isotope data from LGM sediments indicate that water column and sedimentary N-loss were reduced by 17–62% and 35–69%, respectively, relative to preindustrial values. Our model demonstrates that multiple processes alter the nitrogen isotopic signal in most locations, which creates large uncertainties when quantitatively constraining individual nitrogen cycling processes. One key uncertainty is nitrogen fixation, which decreases by 25–65% in the model during the LGM mainly in response to reduced N-loss, due to the lack of observations in the open ocean most notably in the tropical and subtropical southern hemisphere. Nevertheless, the model estimated large increase to the global nitrate inventory of 6.5–22% suggests it may play an important role enhancing the biological carbon pump that contributes to lower atmospheric CO2 during the LGM

Evaluation of a present-day climate simulation with a new coupled atmosphere-ocean model GENMOM

We present a new, non-flux corrected AOGCM, GENMOM, that combines the GENESIS version 3 atmospheric GCM (Global Environmental and Ecological Simulation of Interactive Systems) and MOM2 (Modular Ocean Model version 2) nominally at T31 resolution. We evaluate GENMOM by comparison with reanalysis products (e.g., NCEP2) and three models used in the IPCC AR4 assessment. GENMOM produces a global temperature bias of 0.6 °C. Atmospheric features such as the jet stream structure and major semi-permanent sea level pressure centers are well simulated as is the mean planetary-scale wind structure that is needed to produce the correct position of stormtracks. Most ocean surface currents are reproduced except where they are not resolvable at T31 resolution. Overall, GENMOM captures reasonably well the observed gradients and spatial distributions of annual surface temperature and precipitation and the simulations are on par with other AOGCMs. Deficiencies in the GENMOM simulations include a warm bias in the surface temperature over the southern oceans, a split in the ITCZ and weaker-than-observed overturning circulation

Complementary constraints from carbon ¹³C and nitrogen ¹⁵N isotopes on the glacial ocean's soft-tissue biological pump

A three-dimensional, process-based model of the ocean’s carbon and nitrogen cycles, including 13C and 15N isotopes, is used to explore effects of idealized changes in the soft-tissue biological pump. Results are presented from one preindustrial control run (piCtrl) and six simulations of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) with increasing values of the spatially constant maximum phytoplankton growth rate μmax, which accelerates biological nutrient utilization mimicking iron fertilization. The default LGM simulation, without increasing μmax and with a shallower and weaker Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and increased sea ice cover, leads to 280 Pg more respired organic carbon (Corg) storage in the deep ocean with respect to piCtrl. Dissolved oxygen concentrations in the colder glacial thermocline increase, which reduces water column denitrification and, with delay, nitrogen fixation, thus increasing the ocean’s fixed nitrogen inventory and decreasing δ15NNO3 almost everywhere. This simulation already fits sediment reconstructions of carbon and nitrogen isotopes relatively well, but it overestimates deep ocean δ13CDIC and underestimates δ15NNO3 at high latitudes. Increasing μmax enhances Corg and lowers deep ocean δ13CDIC, improving the agreement with sediment data. In the model’s Antarctic and North Pacific Oceans modest increases in μmax result in higher δ15NNO3 due to enhanced local nutrient utilization, improving the agreement with reconstructions there. Models with moderately increased μmax fit both isotope data best, whereas large increases in nutrient utilization are inconsistent with nitrogen isotopes although they still fit the carbon isotopes reasonably well. The best fitting models reproduce major features of the glacial δ13CDIC, δ15N, and oxygen reconstructions while simulating increased Corg by 510–670 Pg compared with the preindustrial ocean. These results are consistent with the idea that the soft-tissue pump was more efficient during the LGM. Both circulation and biological nutrient utilization could contribute. However, these conclusions are preliminary given our idealized experiments, which do not consider changes in benthic denitrification and spatially inhomogenous changes in aeolian iron fluxes. The analysis illustrates interactions between the carbon and nitrogen cycles as well as the complementary constraints provided by their isotopes. Whereas carbon isotopes are sensitive to circulation changes and indicate well the three-dimensional Corg distribution, nitrogen isotopes are more sensitive to biological nutrient utilization

Response of a climate model to tidal mixing parameterization under present day and last glacial maximum conditions

Author Posting. © Elsevier B.V., 2007. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Ocean Modelling 19 (2007): 125-137, doi:10.1016/j.ocemod.2007.06.009.Experiments with a climate model were conducted under present day and last glacial maximum conditions in order to examine the model’s response to a vertical mixing scheme based on internal tide energy dissipation. The increase in internal tide energy flux caused by a 120 m reduction in sea level had the expected effect on diffusivity values, which were higher under lower sea level conditions. The impact of this vertical diffusivity change on the Atlantic meridional overturning is not straightforward and no clear relationship between diffusivity and overturning is found. There exists a weak positive correlation between overturning and changes to the power consumed by vertical mixing. Most of the climatic response generated by sea level change was not related to alterations in the internal tide energy flux but rather to the direct change in sea level itself.Funding received from CFCAS through the CLIVAR and Polar Climate Stability Research networks. SRJ was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Grant No. OCE-0241061

Isotopic constraints on the pre-industrial oceanic nitrogen budget

The size of the bioavailable (i.e., “fixed”) nitrogen inventory in the ocean influences global marine productivity and the biological carbon pump. Despite its importance, the pre-industrial rates for the major source and sink terms of the oceanic fixed nitrogen budget, N₂ fixation and denitrification, respectively, are not well known. These processes leave distinguishable imprints on the ratio of stable nitrogen isotopes, δ¹⁵N, which can therefore help to infer their patterns and rates. Here we use δ¹⁵N observations from the water column and a new database of seafloor measurements to constrain rates of N₂ fixation and denitrification predicted by a global three-dimensional Model of Ocean Biogeochemistry and Isotopes (MOBI). Sensitivity experiments were performed to quantify uncertainties associated with the isotope effect of denitrification in the water column and sediments. They show that the level of nitrate utilization in suboxic zones, that is the balance between nitrate consumption by denitrification and nitrate replenishment by circulation and mixing (dilution effect), significantly affects the isotope effect of water column denitrification and thus global mean δ¹⁵NO₃-. Experiments with lower levels of nitrate utilization within the suboxic zone (i.e., higher residual water column nitrate concentrations, ranging from 20 to 32 μM) require higher ratios of benthic to water column denitrification, BD:WCD=0.75–1.4, to satisfy the global mean NO₃- and δ¹⁵NO₃- constraints in the modern ocean. This suggests that nitrate utilization in suboxic zones plays an important role in global nitrogen isotope cycling. Increasing the net fractionation factor "BD for benthic denitrification ("BD = 0–4 ‰) requires even higher ratios, BD:WCD=1.4–3.5. The model experiments that best reproduce observed seafloor δ¹⁵N support the middle to high-end estimates for the net fractionation factor of benthic denitrification (εBD =2–4 ‰). Assuming a balanced fixed nitrogen budget, we estimate that preindustrial rates of N₂ fixation, water column denitrification, and benthic denitrification were between 195–350 (225), 65– 80 (76), and 130–270 (149) TgNyr−1, respectively, with our best model estimate (εBD = 2-4 ‰) in parentheses. Although uncertainties still exist, these results suggest that marine N₂ fixation is occurring at much greater rates than previously estimated and the residence time for oceanic fixed nitrogen is between ~1500 and 3000 yr

Calcium carbonate production response to future ocean warming and acidification

Anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are acidifying the ocean, affecting calcification rates in pelagic organisms, and thereby modifying the oceanic carbon and alkalinity cycles. However, the responses of pelagic calcifying organisms to acidification vary widely between species, contributing uncertainty to predictions of atmospheric CO2 and the resulting climate change. At the same time, ocean warming caused by rising CO2 is expected to drive increased growth rates of all pelagic organisms, including calcifiers. It thus remains unclear whether anthropogenic CO2 emissions will ultimately increase or decrease pelagic calcification rates. Here, we assess the importance of this uncertainty by introducing a dependence of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) production on calcite saturation state (ΩCaCO3) in an intermediate complexity coupled carbon-climate model. In a series of model simulations, we examine the impact of several variants of this dependence on global ocean carbon cycling between 1800 and 3500 under two different CO2 emissions scenarios. Introducing a calcification-saturation state dependence has a significant effect on the vertical and surface horizontal alkalinity gradients, as well as on the removal of alkalinity from the ocean through CaCO3 burial. These changes result in an additional oceanic uptake of carbon when calcification depends on ΩCaCO3 (of up to 270 Pg C), compared to the case where calcification does not depend on acidification. In turn, this response causes a reduction of global surface air temperature of up to 0.4 °C in year 3500. Different versions of the model produced varying results, and narrowing this range of uncertainty will require better understanding of both temperature and acidification effects on pelagic calcifiers. Nevertheless, our results suggest that alkalinity observations can be used to constrain model results, and may not be consistent with the model versions that simulated stronger responses of CaCO3 production to changing saturation state

Evaluation of the University of Victoria Earth System Climate Model version 2.10 (UVic ESCM 2.10)

The University of Victoria Earth system climate model of intermediate complexity has been a useful tool in recent assessments of long-term climate changes including paleo-climate modelling. Since the last official release of the UVic ESCM 2.9, and the two official updates during the last decade, a lot of model development has taken place in multiple groups. The new version 2.10 of the University of Victoria Earth System Climate Model (UVic ESCM), to be used in the 6th phase of the coupled model intercomparison project (CMIP6), presented here combines and brings together multiple model developments and new components that have taken place since the last official release of the model. To set the foundation of its use, we here describe the UVic ESCM 2.10 and evaluate results from transient historical simulations against observational data. We find that the UVic ESCM 2.10 is capable of reproducing well changes in historical temperature and carbon fluxes, as well as the spatial distribution of many ocean tracers, including temperature, salinity, phosphate and nitrate. This is connected to a good representation of ocean physical properties. For the moment, there remain biases in ocean alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon, which will be addressed in the next updates to the model