Project Title

Southern Ocean Carbon and climate Observations and Modeling (SOCCOM)

Summary

Event Number:
O-271-N
NSF / OPP Award 1936222

Program Director:
Dr. David Porter

ASC POC/Implementer:
Kenneth Vicknair / Bruce Felix

Principal Investigator(s)

Dr. Jorge l Sarmiento
jls@princeton.edu
Princeton University
Department of Geosciences

Project Web Site:
http://soccom.princeton.edu

Location

Supporting Stations: RV/IB Nathaniel B. Palmer
Research Locations: Southern Ocean

Description

The Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling (SOCCOM) project seeks to increase our understanding of the crucial role of the Southern Ocean in taking up anthropogenic carbon and heat from the atmosphere, and resupplying nutrients from the abyss to the surface. An observational component, based on deployment of profiling floats with oxygen, nitrate, pH and bio-optical sensors, is supplying unprecedented amounts of new biogeochemical data that provide a year-round view of the Southern Ocean from the surface to 2000m, including tracking ocean acidification, de-oxygenation, and warming processes. Collaborators are integrating these observations with high resolution ocean models to enhance our understanding of the state of the Southern Ocean and reducing uncertainty in projections of future carbon and nutrient cycles and climate.

Field Season Overview

Two participants for the SOCCOM project will deploy 6-10 biogeochemical (BGC) profiling floats, approximately evenly spaced along the NBP24-04 transit. At each float deployment site, the USAP-owned Connectivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) rosette will be used for a 1500-2000m CTD and water collection cast. No more than four hours will be allotted at each float deployment site. The water samples from the rosette will be used to measure discrete nutrients, pH, POC, HPLC and alkalinity, which will be handled by the personnel aboard. Samples will be shipped to Scripps Institution of Oceanography following the expedition for further analysis. Discrete oxygen and salinity samples might be drawn and processed on the ship as well. Shared laboratory space will be allocated for the HPLC/POC filtrations, nutrient and pH/alkalinity sample preservation, and oxygen and salinity analyses if carried out.