USGS Arctic Ocean Carbon Cruise 2012: Field Activity L-01-12-AR to collect carbon data in the Arctic Ocean, August-September 2012

Data Series 862
By: , and 

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Abstract

From August 25 to September 27, 2012, the United States Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Healy was part of an Extended Continental Shelf Project to determine the limits of the extended continental shelf in the Arctic. On a non-interference basis, a USGS ocean acidification team participated on the cruise to collect baseline water data in the Arctic. The collection of data extended from coastal waters near Barrow, Alaska, to 83°2'N., -175°36'W., and southward back to coastal waters near Barrow and on to Dutch Harbor, Alaska. As a consequence, a number of hypotheses were tested and questions asked associated with ocean acidification, including:

 

  • What is the saturation state for different parts of the basin?
  • What factors drive the saturation state in the different parts of the basin?
  • How does saturation state compare to other regions?
  • How do the carbon fluxes compare in the different parts of the basin?
  • What is the buffering capacity of the water (Revelle factor)?
  • What kind of variability does carbon demonstrate in the Arctic (near shore versus offshore and diurnal)?

 

During the cruise, underway continuous and discrete water samples were collected, and discrete water samples were collected at stations to document the carbonate chemistry of the Arctic waters and quantify the saturation state of seawater with respect to calcium carbonate. These data are critical for providing baseline information in areas where no data have existed prior and will also be used to test existing models and predict future trends.

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title USGS Arctic Ocean Carbon Cruise 2012: Field Activity L-01-12-AR to collect carbon data in the Arctic Ocean, August-September 2012
Series title Data Series
Series number 862
DOI 10.3133/ds862
Year Published 2014
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Description HTML Document
Time Range Start 2012-08-01
Time Range End 2012-09-30
Country United States
Other Geospatial Arctic Ocean
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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