FY 1992

Autumn air-sea disequilibrium of CO₂ in the South Pacific Ocean

Murphy, P.P., R.A. Feely, R.H. Gammon, K.C. Kelly, and L.S. Waterman

Mar. Chem., 35(1–4), 77–84, doi: 10.1016/S0304-4203(09)90009-3 (1991)

Accurate assessment of the role of the South Pacific in the global carbon cycle has been hindered by a paucity of data. In particular, the South Pacific has been suggested as a major sink for CO₂ on the basis of measurements made principally in the western basin. The PMEL/NOAA Marine CO₂ Program has made basin-wide CO₂ measurements over 6 years which now permit estimation of surface CO₂ fluxes during the austral autumn. These results suggest that the South Pacific is not a significant sink for atmospheric CO₂ during the austral autumn.