Sea Surface <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> Response to Typhoon “Wind Pump” and Kuroshio Intrusion in the Northeastern South China Sea

oleh: Jingrou Lin, Qingyang Sun, Yupeng Liu, Haijun Ye, Danling Tang, Xiaohao Zhang, Yang Gao

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2023-12-01

Deskripsi

The Luzon Strait (LS) is a key region for estimating carbon sources and sinks in the South China Sea (SCS) and is highly influenced by the Kuroshio Current (KC) and typhoons. Understanding the variations in the sea surface partial pressure of carbon dioxide (<i>p</i>CO<sub>2-sw</sub>) under the combined effects of typhoons and KC in this region is crucial for estimating local and regional changes in ocean carbon flux. Based on valuable in situ <i>p</i>CO<sub>2-sw</sub> and remote sensing data, this study aimed to reveal the temporal variations and the physical mechanisms of <i>p</i>CO<sub>2-sw</sub> variations under the comprehensive effects of both typhoons and Kuroshio Intrusion (KI) in the LS. One week after the passage of the tropical cyclone (TC) Nanmadol, the concentration in the <i>p</i>CO<sub>2-sw</sub> and the influencing mechanisms varied in three different regions (W1–W3) on Transect A (120°E). In the region dominated by SCS waters (W1), the average <i>p</i>CO<sub>2-sw</sub> increased by 5.1 μatm after TC, which was mainly due to the TC “Wind Pump” inducing strong vertical mixing, which brought dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC)-rich deeper water up to the surface. In the region affected by KC (W2 and W3), <i>p</i>CO<sub>2-sw</sub> decreased after the TC (−8.2 μatm and −1.8 μatm, respectively) with TC-enhanced KI because the invasion of lower <i>p</i>CO<sub>2-sw</sub> of Kuroshio waters inhibited the TC-induced upwelling. More significant TC-induced upwelling (W3) would alleviate the decrease in <i>p</i>CO<sub>2-sw</sub> caused by the TC-enhanced KI. This study is a rare case providing a better understanding of the variations in <i>p</i>CO<sub>2-sw</sub> under TC-enhanced KI, which provides support for regional climate change prediction and carbon flux estimation in the western boundary current regions.