The Arctic Ocean carbon cycle and its response to ocean dynamics and freshwater forcing in a warming climate

Over the past century, human emissions have increased atmospheric CO2 to levels higher than the average surface ocean CO2 concentrations.

Consequently, the global ocean absorbs an important part of the anthropogenic greenhouse gases emissions, mitigating the ongoing climate warming. However, as a "no free lunch" scenario, the ocean is becoming more acidic.

The Arctic Ocean is a system in rapid transformation under the influence of climate change with important environmental and socio-economic implications.

Recent sea-ice decline has opened the region to direct exchange of CO2 with the atmosphere and it is currently an open question whether the region will continue as a sink for atmospheric CO2 or if it will become a CO2 source in the future.

The outcome depends on regional carbon cycle sensitivity patterns to future changes in ocean circulation, freshwater forcing and primary production.

The targeted area, the North Greenland marine realm with its fjords, represents an environment of extreme contrasts with multiyear sea ice and open water areas, large glacial meltwater input and local patterns of primary production.

Here we will take the advantage of these contrasts in order to disentangle the influence of ocean dynamic and its associated freshwater forcing to the carbonate system.

This will advance our understanding of the current state and the processes governing the Arctic Ocean carbon cycle and enable improved modelling for assessments of future environmental conditions.