Progress of Chinese research in Arctic physical oceanography during 2007-2010

As a part of the National Report of China for the International Association for Physical Science of Ocean （IAPSO）, the main research results of Chinese scientists in Arctic physical oceanography during 2007-2010 are reviewed in this paper. This period overlaps with the International Polar Year （IPY）, which is a catalyst for nations to emphasize activities and research in the polar regions. The Arctic also experienced a rapid change in sea ice, ocean, and climate during this time. China launched two Arctic cruises with the R/V XUE LONG icebreaker, in 2008 and 2010, which provided more opportunities for Chinese scientists to investigate the Arctic Ocean and its change. During this period, Chinese scientists participated in more than ten other cruises with international collaborations. The main research covered in this paper includes the upper ocean characteristic, ocean and sea ice optics, kinematics of sea ice and the Arctic impact on global climate change. The progress in sea ice optics, the observation technologies and Arctic Oscillation are especially remarkable.

Progress of Chinese research in physical oceanography of the Southern Ocean

Oceanographic surveying has been one of the key missions of the Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition since 1984. Using the field data obtained in these surveys and the results from remote sensing and numerical models, Chinese physical oceanographers have investigated the water masses, fronts and circulation patterns in the Southern Ocean. The results of nearly 30 years of research are summarized in this paper. Most oceanographic observations by Chinese researchers have been con- ducted in Prydz Bay and the adjacent seas. CTD （Conductivity Temperature and Depth） data, collected during the past 20 years, have been applied to study several features of the water masses in this region： The spatial variation of warm summer surface water, the northward extension of shelf water, the flow of ice shelf water from the cavity beneath the Amery Ice Shelf, the upweUing of the Circumpolar Deep Water, and the formation of the Antarctic Bottom Water. The circulation and its dynamic factors have been analyzed with dynamic heights calculated from CTD data as well as by numerical models. The structure and strength of the fronts in the southeast Indian Ocean and the Drake Passage were investigated with underway XBT/XCTD （Expendable Bathythermo- graph/Expendable CTD） and ADCP （Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler） data. Their interaunual variations have been determined and the factors of influence, especially the atmospheric forcing and mesoscale oceanic processes, were studied using remote sens- ing data. The dynamic mechanism of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current （ACC） was analyzed by theoretical models. The transport and pattern of the ACC have been well reproduced by coupled sea ice-ocean models. Additional details of ACC variability were identified based on satellite altimeter data. The response of the ACC to climate change was studied using reanalysis data. Prospects for future research are presented at the end of this paper.

Diagnostic Study of an Extreme Explosive Cyclone over the Kuroshio/Kuroshio Extension Region

Explosive cyclones(ECs)occur frequently over the Kuroshio/Kuroshio Extension region.The most rapidly intensified EC over the Kuroshio/Kuroshio Extension region during the 42 years(1979-2020)of cold seasons(October-April)was studied to reveal the variations of the key factors at different explosive-developing stages.This EC had weak low-level baroclinicity,mid-level cyclonic-vorticity advection,and strong low-level water vapor convergence at the initial explosive-developing stage.The low-level baroclinicity and mid-level cyclonic-vorticity advection increased substantially during the maximum-deepening-rate stage.The diagnostic analyses using the Zwack-Okossi equation showed that diabatic heating was the main contributor to the initial rapid intensification of this EC.The cyclonic-vorticity advection and warm-air advection enhanced rapidly in the middle and upper troposphere and contributed to the maximum rapid intensification,whereas the diabatic heating weakened slightly in the mid-low troposphere.The relative contribution of the diabatic heating decreased from the initial explosive-developing stage to the maximum-deepening-rate stage due to the enhancement of other factors(the cyclonic-vorticity advection and warm-air advection).Furthermore,the physical factors contributing to this EC varied with the explosive-developing stage.The non-key factors at the initial explosive-developing stage need attention to forecast the rapid intensification.

Assessment of the Southern Ocean Sea Surface Temperature Biases in CMIP5 and CMIP6 Models

This work evaluates the performances of climate models in simulating the Southern Ocean(SO)sea surface temperature(SST)by a large ensemble from phases 5 and 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project(CMIP5 and CMIP6).By combining models from the same community sharing highly similar SO SST biases and eliminating the effect of global-mean biases on local SST biases,the results reveal that the ensemble-mean SO SST bias at 70°-30°S decreases from 0.38℃ in CMIP5 to 0.28℃ in CMIP6,together with increased intermodel consistency.The dominant mode of the intermodel variations in the zonal-mean SST biases is characterized as a meridional uniform warm bias pattern,explaining 79.1% of the intermodel variance and exhibiting positive principal values for most models.The ocean mixed layer heat budget further demonstrates that the SST biases at 70°-50°S primarily result from the excessive summertime heating effect from surface net heat flux.The biases in surface net heat flux south of 50°S are largely impacted by surface shortwave radiation from cloud and clear sky components at different latitudes.North of 50°S,the underestimated westerlies reduce the northward Ekman transport and hence northward cold advection in models,leading to warm SST biases year-round.In addition,the westerly biases are primarily traced back to the atmosphere-alone model simulations forced by the observed SST and sea ice.These results disclose the thermal origin at the high latitude and dynamical origin at the low latitude of the SO SST biases and underscore the significance of the deficiencies of atmospheric models in producing the SO SST biases.

Four-to Six-Year Periodic Variation of Arctic Sea-Ice Extent and Its Three Main Driving Factors

Besides the rapid retreating trend of Arctic sea-ice extent(SIE),this study found the most outstanding low-frequency variation of SIE to be a 4-6-year periodic variation.Using a clustering analysis algorithm,the SIE in most ice-covered regions was clustered into two special regions:Region-1 around the Barents Sea and Region-2 around the Canadian Basin,which were located on either side of the Arctic Transpolar Drift.Clear 4-6-year periodic variation in these two regions was identified using a novel method called“running linear fitting algorithm”.The rate of temporal variation of the Arctic SIE was related to three driving factors:the regional air temperature,the sea-ice areal flux across the Arctic Transpolar Drift,and the divergence of sea-ice drift.The 4-6-year periodic variation was found to have always been present since 1979,but the SIE responded to different factors under heavy and light ice conditions divided by the year 2005.The joint contribution of the three factors to SIE variation exceeded 83%and 59%in the two regions,respectively,remarkably reflecting their dynamic mechanism.It is proven that the process of El Niño-Southern Oscillation(ENSO)is closely associated with the three factors,being the fundamental source of the 4-6-year periodic variations of Arctic SIE.

Hydrographic Characteristics and Oceanic Heat Flux in the Upper Arctic Ocean over the Alpha Ridge Observed by the DTOP Platform in 2018 and 2021

In 2018 and 2021,the Drift-Towing Ocean Profilers(DTOP)provided extensive temperature and salinity data on the upper 120m ocean through their drifts over the Alpha Ridge north of the Canada Basin.The thickness and temperature maximum of Alaska Coastal Water(ACW)ranged from 20m to 40m and-1.5℃to-0.8℃,respectively,and the salinity generally maintained from 30.2 to 32.5.Comparison with World Ocean Atlas 2018’s climatology manifested a 40m-thick and warm ACW roughly ex-ceeding the temperature maximum by 0.4–0.5℃in June–August 2021.This anomalously warm ACW was highly related to the ex-pansion of the Beaufort Gyre in the negative Arctic Oscillation phase.During summer,the under-ice oceanic heat flux F_(w)^(OHF)was elevated,with a maximum value of above 25Wm^(-2).F_(w)^(OHF)was typically low in the freezing season,with an average value of 1.2Wm^(-2).The estimates of upward heat flux contributed by ACW to the sea ice bottom F_(w)^(OHF)were in the range of 3–4Wm^(-2)in June–August 2021,when ACW contained a heat content of more than 80MJm^(-2).The heat loss over this period was driven by a weak stratification upon the ACW layer associated with a surface mixed layer(SML)approaching the ACW core.After autumn,F_(w)^(OHF)was reduced(<2 Wm^(-2))except during rare events when it elevated F_(w)^(OHF)slightly.In addition,the intensive and widespread Ekman suction,which created a violent upwelling north of the Canada Basin,was largely responsible for the substantial cooling and thinning of the ACW layer in the summer of 2021.

Data Quality Control Method of a New Drifting Observation Technology Named Drifting Air-Sea Interface Buoy

An integral quality control(QC)procedure that integrates various QC methods and considers the design indexes and operational status of the instruments for the observations of drifting air-sea interface buoy was developed in the order of basic in-spection followed by targeted QC.The innovative method of combining a moving Hampel filter and local anomaly detection com-plies with statistical laws and physical processes,which guarantees the QC performance of meteorological variables.Two sets of observation data were used to verify the applicability and effectiveness of the QC procedure,and the effect was evaluated using the observations of the Kuroshio Extension Observatory buoy as the reference.The results showed that the outliers in the time series can be correctly identified and processed,and the quality of data improved significantly.The linear correlation between the quality-controlled observations and the reference increased,and the difference decreased.The correlation coefficient of wind speed before and after QC increased from 0.77 to 0.82,and the maximum absolute error decreased by approximately 2.8ms^(-1).In addition,air pressure and relative humidity were optimized by 10^(-3)–10^(-2) orders of magnitude.For the sea surface temperature,the weight of coefficients of the continuity test algorithm was optimized based on the sea area of data acquisition,which effectively expanded the applicability of the algorithm.

Deep Learning Shows Promise for Seasonal Prediction of Antarctic Sea Ice in a Rapid Decline Scenario

The rapidly changing Antarctic sea ice has garnered significant interest. To enhance the prediction skill for sea ice and respond to the Sea Ice Prediction Network-South's latest call, this study presents the reforecast results of Antarctic sea-ice area and extent from December to June of the coming year with a Convolutional Long Short-Term Memory(Conv LSTM)Network. The reforecast experiments demonstrate that Conv LSTM captures the interannual and interseasonal variability of Antarctic sea ice successfully, and performs better than the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Based on this, we present the prediction from December 2023 to June 2024, indicating that the Antarctic sea ice will remain at lows, but may not create a new record low. This research highlights the promising application of deep learning in Antarctic sea-ice prediction.

Evolution Mechanism of a Severe Squall Line Triggered by the Coupling of a Sea Breeze Front and a Gust Front

In the present study, a severe squall line(SL) was analyzed by using intensive observational surface data and radar monitoring products. In this process, mesoscale convergence lines, such as the sea breeze front(SBF), gust front and dry line, served as the main triggering and strengthening factors. The transition from convection triggering to the formation of the initial shape was mainly affected by the convergence line of the SBF, which combined with thermal convection to form the main parts of the SL. In the later stage, the convergence line of the gust front merged with other convergence lines to form a series of strong convective cells. The SBF had good indicative significance in terms of severe convective weather warnings. The suitable conditions of heat, water vapor and vertical wind shear on the Shandong Peninsula were beneficial to the maintenance of the SL. Before SL occurrence, tropopause folding strengthened, which consequently enhanced the baroclinic property in the middle and upper troposphere. The high sensible heat flux at the surface easily produced a positive potential vorticity anomaly in the low layer, resulting in convective instability, which was conducive to the maintenance of these processes. In the system, when precipitation particles passed through the unsaturated air layer, they underwent strong evaporation, melting or sublimation, and the cooling effect formed negative buoyancy, which accelerated the sinking of the air and promoted the sustained development of the surface gale. Together with the development of lowlevel mesocyclones, the air pressure decreased rapidly, which was conducive to gale initiation.

Application of the Conditional Nonlinear Local Lyapunov Exponent to Second-Kind Predictability

In order to quantify the influence of external forcings on the predictability limit using observational data,the author introduced an algorithm of the conditional nonlinear local Lyapunov exponent(CNLLE)method.The effectiveness of this algorithm is validated and compared with the nonlinear local Lyapunov exponent(NLLE)and signal-to-noise ratio methods using a coupled Lorenz model.The results show that the CNLLE method is able to capture the slow error growth constrained by external forcings,therefore,it can quantify the predictability limit induced by the external forcings.On this basis,a preliminary attempt was made to apply this method to measure the influence of ENSO on the predictability limit for both atmospheric and oceanic variable fields.The spatial distribution of the predictability limit induced by ENSO is similar to that arising from the initial conditions calculated by the NLLE method.This similarity supports ENSO as the major predictable signal for weather and climate prediction.In addition,a ratio of predictability limit(RPL)calculated by the CNLLE method to that calculated by the NLLE method was proposed.The RPL larger than 1 indicates that the external forcings can significantly benefit the long-term predictability limit.For instance,ENSO can effectively extend the predictability limit arising from the initial conditions of sea surface temperature over the tropical Indian Ocean by approximately four months,as well as the predictability limit of sea level pressure over the eastern and western Pacific Ocean.Moreover,the impact of ENSO on the geopotential height predictability limit is primarily confined to the troposphere.

Evaluation of the Mechanisms Acting on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in CESM2 for the 1pctCO_(2) Experiment

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation(AMOC)is a crucial component of the Earth’s climate system due to its fundamental role in heat distribution,carbon and oxygen transport,and the weather.Other climate components,such as the atmosphere and sea ice,influence the AMOC.Evaluating the physical mechanisms of those interactions is paramount to increasing knowledge about AMOC’s functioning.In this study,the authors used outputs from the Community Earth System Model version 2 and observational data to investigate changes in theAMOC and the associated physical processes.Two DECK experiments were evaluated:piControl and 1pctCO_(2),with an annual increase of 1%of atmospheric CO_(2).The analysis revealed a significant decrease in the AMOC,associated with changes in mixed layer depth and buoyancy in high latitudes of the North Atlantic,resulting in the shutdown of deep convection and potentially affecting the formation of North Atlantic Deep Water and Antarctic Bottom Water.A vital aspect observed in this study is the association between increased runoff and reduced water evaporation,giving rise to a positive feedback process.Consequently,the rates of freshwater spreading have intensified during this period,which could lead to an accelerated disruption of the AMOC beyond the projections of existing models.

Control of the Dust Vertical Distribution over Western Africa by Convection and Scavenging

Saharan dust represents more than 50%of the total desert dust emitted around the globe and its radiative effect significantly affects the atmospheric circulation at a continental scale.Previous studies on dust vertical distribution and the Saharan Air Layer(SAL)showed some shortcomings that could be attributed to imperfect representation of the effects of deep convection and scavenging.The authors investigate here the role of deep convective transport and scavenging on the vertical distribution of mineral dust over Western Africa.Using multi-year(2006-2010)simulations performed with the variable-resolution(zoomed)version of the LMDZ climate model.Simulations are compared with aerosol amounts recorded by the Aerosol Robotic Network(AERONET)and with vertical profiles of the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization(CALIOP)measurements.LMDZ allows a thorough examination of the respective roles of deep convective transport,convective and stratiform scavenging,boundary layer transport,and advection processes on the vertical mineral dust distribution over Western Africa.The comparison of simulated dust Aerosol Optical Depth(AOD)and distribution with measurements suggest that scavenging in deep convection and subsequent re-evaporation of dusty rainfall in the lower troposphere are critical processes for explaining the vertical distribution of desert dust.These processes play a key role in maintaining a well-defined dust layer with a sharp transition at the top of the SAL and in establishing the seasonal cycle of dust distribution.This vertical distribution is further reshaped offshore in the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ)over the Atlantic Ocean by marine boundary layer turbulent and convective transport and wet deposition at the surface.

Physical processes causing the formation of hypoxia off the Changjiang estuary after Typhoon Chan-hom, 2015

Severe hypoxia was observed in the submarine canyon to the east of the Changjiang estuary in July 14, 2015, two days after typhoon Chan-hom. The oxygen concentration reached as low as 2.0 mg/L and occupied a water column of about 25 m. A ROMS model was con?gured to explore the underlying physical processes causing the formation of hypoxia. Chan-hom passed through the Changjiang estuary during the neap tide. The strati?cation was completely destroyed in the shallow nearshore region when typhoon passing. However, it was maintained in the deep canyon, though the surface mixed layer was largely deepened. The residual water in the deep canyon is considered to be the possible source of the later hypoxia. After Chan-hom departure, not only the low salinity plume water spread further of fshore, but also the sea surface temperature(SST) rewarmed quickly. Both changes helped strengthen the strati?cation and facilitate the formation of hypoxia. It was found that the surface heat ?ux, especially the solar short wave radiation dominated the surface re-warming, the of fshore advection of the warmer Changjiang Diluted Water(CDW) also played a role. In addition to the residual water in the deep canyon, the Taiwan Warm Current(TWC) was found to ?ow into the deep canyon pre-and soon post-Chan-hom, which was considered to be the original source of the hypoxia water.

The Physical Significance of the Synthetic Running Correlation Coefficient and Its Applications in Oceanic and Atmospheric Studies

In order to study the temporal variations of correlations between two time series,a running correlation coefficient(RCC)could be used.An RCC is calculated for a given time window,and the window is then moved sequentially through time.The current calculation method for RCCs is based on the general definition of the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient,calculated with the data within the time window,which we call the local running correlation coefficient(LRCC).The LRCC is calculated via the two anomalies corresponding to the two local means,meanwhile,the local means also vary.It is cleared up that the LRCC reflects only the correlation between the two anomalies within the time window but fails to exhibit the contributions of the two varying means.To address this problem,two unchanged means obtained from all available data are adopted to calculate an RCC,which is called the synthetic running correlation coefficient(SRCC).When the anomaly variations are dominant,the two RCCs are similar.However,when the variations of the means are dominant,the difference between the two RCCs becomes obvious.The SRCC reflects the correlations of both the anomaly variations and the variations of the means.Therefore,the SRCCs from different time points are intercomparable.A criterion for the superiority of the RCC algorithm is that the average value of the RCC should be close to the global correlation coefficient calculated using all data.The SRCC always meets this criterion,while the LRCC sometimes fails.Therefore,the SRCC is better than the LRCC for running correlations.We suggest using the SRCC to calculate the RCCs.

Features of the physical environment associated with green tide in the southwestern Yellow Sea during spring

Massive green tides caused by Ulva prolifera in the Yellow Sea have occurred every summer since 2007 and have caused huge economic losses for local governments. The Subei （North liangsu Province, China） Shoal, with its large-scale Porphyra aquaculture, has been regarded as the most important source of U. prolifera for green tides. To reveal the physical mechanisms of floating and drifting algae in this area, the characteristics of the current, the temperature, the salinity and suspended particulate matter （SPM） in the southwestern Yellow Sea, especially in the Subei Shoal, were studied. The topography of the radial sand ridges in the Subei Shoal constrains the features of the currents and causes net longitudinal and latitudinal movements. The longitudinal net movement is a dominant dynamic factor that can bring U. prolifera into offshore waters. The amount of gas that is produced by algae during photosynthesis determines whether U. prolifera can float well on the sea surface after it is disposed into the water from Porphyra aquacultural apparatus. The Subei Shoal is characterized by a high turbidity, which can result in significant light attenuation and affect the photosynthesis together with the buoyancy of a U. prolifera in the water. According to satellite remote sensing data from 2012, the three-month-averaged surface SPM （April, May and June） in the Subei Shoal was 140 mg/dm^3, and the north of the Subei Shoal （the north of 34.5°N）, it was 11 mg/dm^3. According to the monthly averaged surface SPM in April, the transparency in the Subei Shoal was only 0.1 m, but it often exceeded 2.0 m outside of the Subei Shoal. The results explain why the floating ability of U. prolifera increases significantly once the green algae drifted outside the Subei Shoal.

Influence of the Physical Environment on the Migration and Distribution of Nibea albiflora in the Yellow Sea

This study investigates the migration and distribution of the warm-temperate fish Nibea albiflora. Their spawning migration and wintering migratory routes within in the Yellow Sea are described in detail. Considering the main physical features and environment of the Yellow Sea, it appears to be have one wintering ground and three migratory routes from the wintering ground to the spawning grounds. The fish begin to migrate from the wintering ground to the spawning grounds in the northwest region of the Yellow Sea in late March. The Yellow Sea has three spawning grounds. The first is located near the Yalu River on the Liaodong Peninsula and the second one is located in Rushan Bay of Shandong Peninsula. The third spawning ground is located in Haizhou Bay in the southern region of the Yellow Sea. This study found that the temperature of the Yellow Sea influences the migration of N. albiflora, and that the migratory routes coincide with the thermal fronts in the sea. Nutrients for juvenile fish are taken from the coastal upwelling area. Chlorophyll is a good environmental indicator of phytoplankton biomass and thereby provides the status of biological resources. Different types of sediment in near-shore zones are also of practical significance for the growth of fish. The study of the effects of marine environments on the migration of various fishes is not only significant to the fishing industry, but can also provide a scientific basis for the understanding of the ecological implications of the relevant physical processes.

ANALYSING THE CLOUD MICRO-AND MACRO-PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE CYCLONE EYE WALL AND ITS SURROUNDING SPIRAL CLOUD BANDS BASED ON CLOUDSAT AND TRMM DATA

In this study, the micro-and macro-physical properties, thermal structure and precipitation characteristics of cyclone eye walls and their surrounding spiral clouds were analysed with Cloud Sat and TRMM data for five tropical cyclones(TCs) in 2013. The results show that the ice-phase clouds of a mature TC are mainly above 5 km. With increasing altitude, the cloud droplet effective radius decreases, and the particle number concentration increases. Ice water content first increases and then decreases with increasing height. In the eye area, in addition to the well-known warm-core area, another warm core is also apparent around the eye at a height of 8 to 15 km. The horizontal distribution of precipitation is characterized by large-scale stratiform precipitation mixed with independent convective precipitation. The height of precipitation is mostly below 7.5 km, and the heavy rain is mainly below 5 km. When the peripheral convective clouds are strong enough, ice particles would be generated, thus providing conditions that are favourable for the formation of precipitation below.

Diagnosis of Physical and Biological Controls on Phytoplankton Distribution in the Sargasso Sea

The linkage between physical and biological processes is studied by applying a one-dimensional physical-biological coupled model to the Sargasso Sea. The physical model is the Princeton Ocean Model and the biological model is a five-component system including phytoplankton, zooplankton, nitrate, ammonium, and detritus. The coupling between the physical and biological model is accomplished through vertical mixing which is parameterized by the level 2.5 Mellor and Yamada turbulence closure scheme. The coupled model investigates the annual cycle of ecosystem production and the response to external forcing, such as heat flux, wind stress, and surface salinity, and the relative importance of physical processes in affecting the ecosystem. Sensitivity experiments are also carried out, which provide information on how the model bio-chemical parameters affect the biological system. The computed seasonal cycles compare reasonably well with the observations of the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study(BATS). The spring bloom of phytoplankton occurs in March and April, right after the weakening of the winter mixing and before the establishment of the summer stratification. The bloom of zooplankton occurs about two weeks after the bloom of phytoplankton. The sensitivity experiments show that zooplankton is more sensitive to the variations of biochemical parameters than phytoplankton.

Diagnosis of Physical and Biological Control over Phytoplankton in the Gulf of Maine-Georges Bank Region Using an Adjoint Data Assimilation Approach

The linkage between physical and biological processes, particularly the effect of the circulation field on the distribution of phytoplankton, is studied by applying a two-dimensional model and an adjoint data assimilation approach to the Gulf of Maine-Georges Bank region. The model results, comparing well with observation data, reveal seasonal and geographic variations of phytoplankton concentration and verify that the seasonal cycles of phytoplankton are controlled by both biological sources and advection processes which are functions of space and time and counterbalance each other. Although advective flux divergences have greater magnitudes on Georges Bank than in the coastal region of the western Gulf of Maine, advection control over phytoplankton concentration is more significant in the coastal region of the western Gulf of Maine. The model results also suggest that the two separated populations in the coastal regions of the western Gulf of Maine and on Georges Bank are self-sustaining.

Surface Mixed Layer Profile of Physical and Biogeochemical Variables in the Subpolar North-West and -East Atlantic Ocean: A Data-Model Comparison Study

This paper presents a study of physical and biogeochemical variables using numerical model and mixed layer oceanographic data from a 2 - 3 year?in situmeasurements in the Northwestern and Northeastern sites of the Atlantic Ocean. Model outputs are presented and indicated that very good estimates may be obtained. The outputs showed considerable agreement in reproducing seasonal distributions of?pCO2,?pCO2-T,?pCO2-nonT, mixed layer temperature, and chlorophyll-a?in both winter and summer, and therefore provide useful physical and theoretical understanding of their biogeochemistry. The model?pCO2indicated a distinct temporal variability with seasonal changes coinciding with the change in sea surface temperature. It also provides an agreement that there is a strong seasonal cycle of mixed layer parameters filliped by nonthermal and physical factors. As an outgrowth of this work, the?pCO2?model outputs affirm the North Atlantic Ocean capacity as an important oceanographic sink for anthropogenic carbon dioxide.