scholarly journals Biogeochemical climatology for the Southern Benguela Upwelling System, constructed from <i>in situ</i> monitoring data

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie de Villiers

Abstract. An annual and a seasonal biogeochemical climatology had been constructed for the Southern Benguela Upwelling System, from in situ data collected along a 12 station monitoring line, sampled at monthly intervals from 2001 to 2012. The monitoring line reaches a maximum offshore distance of almost 190 km, with monitoring station depths ranging from 27 to 1465 m. In addition to temperature, salinity and oxygen CTD profile data, archived monitoring data for the macro-nutrients (phosphate, nitrate + nitrite, silicate) and chlorophyll-a was evaluated. The climatologies exhibit clear spatial and seasonal variability patterns for all parameters, that yield important insight into the SBUS upwelling cycle. These data sets comprise valuable additions to our knowledge base, and will aid both future modelling efforts and studies of biogeochemical processes in upwelling systems. Data for the constructed climatologies have been made available via the PANGAEA Data Archiving and Publication database at http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.882218.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 313-342
Author(s):  
Eric C.J. Oliver ◽  
Jessica A. Benthuysen ◽  
Sofia Darmaraki ◽  
Markus G. Donat ◽  
Alistair J. Hobday ◽  
...  

Ocean temperature variability is a fundamental component of the Earth's climate system, and extremes in this variability affect the health of marine ecosystems around the world. The study of marine heatwaves has emerged as a rapidly growing field of research, given notable extreme warm-water events that have occurred against a background trend of global ocean warming. This review summarizes the latest physical and statistical understanding of marine heatwaves based on how they are identified, defined, characterized, and monitored through remotely sensed and in situ data sets. We describe the physical mechanisms that cause marine heatwaves, along with their global distribution, variability, and trends. Finally, we discuss current issues in this developing research area, including considerations related to thechoice of climatological baseline periods in defining extremes and how to communicate findings in the context of societal needs.


2022 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 201-221
Author(s):  
Zoë R. van Kemenade ◽  
Laura Villanueva ◽  
Ellen C. Hopmans ◽  
Peter Kraal ◽  
Harry J. Witte ◽  
...  

Abstract. Interpreting lipid biomarkers in the sediment archive requires a good understanding of their application and limitations in modern systems. Recently it was discovered that marine bacteria performing anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), belonging to the genus Ca. Scalindua, uniquely synthesize a stereoisomer of bacteriohopanetetrol (“BHT-x”). The ratio of BHT-x over total bacteriohopanetetrol (BHT, ubiquitously synthesized by diverse bacteria) has been suggested as a proxy for water column anoxia. As BHT has been found in sediments over 50 Myr old, BHT-x has the potential to complement and extend the sedimentary biomarker record of marine anammox, conventionally constructed using ladderane lipids. Yet, little is known about the distribution of BHT-x in relation to the distribution of ladderanes and to the genetic evidence of Ca. Scalindua in modern marine systems. Here, we investigate the distribution of BHT-x and the application of the BHT-x ratio in relation to distributions of ladderane intact polar lipids (IPLs), ladderane fatty acids (FAs) and Ca. Scalindua 16S rRNA genes in suspended particulate matter (SPM) from the water column of the Benguela upwelling system (BUS), sampled across a large oxygen gradient. In BUS SPM, high BHT-x abundances were restricted to the oxygen-deficient zone on the continental shelf (at [O2] < 45 µmol L−1, in all but one case). High BHT-x abundances co-occurred with high abundances of the Ca. Scalindua 16S rRNA gene (relative to the total number of bacterial 16S rRNA genes) and ladderane IPLs. At shelf stations with [O2] > 50 µmol L−1, the BHT-x ratio was < 0.04 (in all but one case). In apparent contradiction, ladderane FAs and low abundances of BHT and BHT-x (resulting in BHT-x ratios > 0.04) were also detected in oxygenated offshore waters ([O2] up to 180 µmol L−1), whereas ladderane IPLs were undetected. The index of ladderane lipids with five cyclobutane rings (NL5) correlates with in situ temperature. NL5-derived temperatures suggested that ladderane FAs in the offshore waters were not synthesized in situ but were transported down-slope from warmer shelf waters. Thus, in sedimentary archives of systems with known lateral organic matter transport, such as the BUS, relative BHT and BHT-x abundances should be carefully considered. In such systems, a higher BHT-x ratio may act as a safer threshold for deoxygenation and/or Ca. Scalindua presence: our results and previous studies indicate that a BHT-x ratio of ≥ 0.2 is a robust threshold for oxygen-depleted waters ([O2] < 50 µmol kg−1). In our data, ratios of ≥ 0.2 coincided with Ca. Scalindua 16S rRNA genes in all samples (n=62), except one. Lastly, when investigating in situ anammox, we highlight the importance of using ladderane IPLs over BHT-x and/or ladderane FAs; these latter compounds are more recalcitrant and may derive from transported fossil anammox bacteria remnants.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 3049
Author(s):  
Malgorzata Stramska ◽  
Marta Konik ◽  
Paulina Aniskiewicz ◽  
Jaromir Jakacki ◽  
Miroslaw Darecki

Among the most frequently used satellite data are surface chlorophyll concentration (Chl) and temperature (SST). These data can be degraded in some coastal areas, for example, in the Baltic Sea. Other popular sources of data are reanalysis models. Before satellite or model data can be used effectively, they should be extensively compared with in situ measurements. Herein, we present results of such comparisons. We used SST and Chl from model reanalysis and satellites, and in situ data measured at eight open Baltic Sea stations. The data cover time interval from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2019, but some satellite data were not always available. Both the model and the satellite SST data had good agreement with in situ measurements. In contrast, satellite and model estimates of Chl concentrations presented large errors. Modeled Chl presented the lowest bias and the best correlation with in situ data from all Chl data sets evaluated. Chl estimates from a regionally tuned algorithm (SatBaltic) had smaller errors in comparison with other satellite data sets and good agreement with in situ data in summer. Statistics were not as good for the full data set. High uncertainties found in chlorophyll satellite algorithms for the Baltic Sea highlight the importance of continuous regional validation of such algorithms with in situ data.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 3741
Author(s):  
Haifeng Zhang ◽  
Alexander Ignatov

In situ sea surface temperatures (SST) are the key component of the calibration and validation (Cal/Val) of satellite SST retrievals and data assimilation (DA). The NOAA in situ SST Quality Monitor (iQuam) aims to collect, from various sources, all available in situ SST data, and integrate them into a maximally complete, uniform, and accurate dataset to support these applications. For each in situ data type, iQuam strives to ingest data from several independent sources, to ensure most complete coverage, at the cost of some redundancy in data feeds. The relative completeness of various inputs and their consistency and mutual complementarity are often unknown and are the focus of this study. For four platform types customarily employed in satellite Cal/Val and DA (drifting buoys, tropical moorings, ships, and Argo floats), five widely known data sets are analyzed: (1) International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS), (2) Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC), (3) Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), (4) Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), and (5) Argo Global Data Assembly Centers (GDACs). Each data set reports SSTs from one or more platform types. It is found that drifting buoys are more fully represented in FNMOC and CMEMS. Ships are reported in FNMOC and ICOADS, which are best used in conjunction with each other, but not in CMEMS. Tropical moorings are well represented in ICOADS, FNMOC, and CMEMS. Some CMEMS mooring reports are sampled every 10 min (compared to the standard 1 h sampling in all other datasets). The CMEMS Argo profiling data set is, as expected, nearly identical with those from the two Argo GDACs.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoë Rebecca van Kemenade ◽  
Laura Villanueva ◽  
Ellen C. Hopmans ◽  
Peter Kraal ◽  
Harry J. Witte ◽  
...  

Abstract. Interpreting lipid biomarkers in the sediment archive requires a good understanding of their application and limitations in modern systems. Recently it was discovered that marine bacteria performing anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), belonging to the genus Ca. Scalindua, uniquely synthesize a stereoisomer of bacteriohopanetetrol (‘BHT-x’). The ratio of BHT-x over total bacteriohopanetetrol (BHT; ubiquitously synthesized by diverse bacteria) has been suggested as a proxy for water column anoxia. As BHT has been found in sediments over 50 Myr old, BHT-x has the potential to complement and extend the sedimentary biomarker record of marine anammox, conventionally constructed using ladderane lipids. Yet, little is known about the distribution of BHT-x in relation to the distribution of ladderanes and to the genetic evidence of Ca. Scalindua in modern marine systems. Here, we investigate the distribution of BHT-x and the application of the BHT-x ratio in relation to distributions of intact polar (IPL) ladderane lipids, ladderane fatty acids (FAs) and Ca. Scalindua 16S rRNA genes in suspended particulate matter (SPM) from the water column, sampled across a large oxygen gradient in the Benguela upwelling system (BUS). In BUS SPM, high BHT-x abundances were constrained to the oxygen deficient zone on the continental shelf (at [O2] < 45 µmol L−1, in all but one case). High BHT-x abundances co-occurred with high abundances of the Ca. Scalindua 16S rRNA gene (relative to the total number of bacterial 16S rRNA genes) and ladderane IPLs. At shelf stations with [O2] > 50 µmol L−1, the BHT-x ratio was < 0.04 (in all but one case). In apparent contradiction, ladderane FAs and low abundances of BHT and BHT-x (resulting in BHT-x ratio’s > 0.04) were also detected in oxygenated offshore waters ([O2] up to 180 µmol L−1), whereas ladderane IPLs were undetected. NL5-derived temperatures suggested that ladderane FAs in the offshore waters were not synthesized in situ but derived from warmer shelf waters. Thus, in sedimentary archives of systems with known lateral organic matter transport, such as the BUS, relative BHT and BHT-x abundances should be carefully considered. In such systems, a higher BHT-x ratio may act as a safer threshold for deoxygenation and/or Ca. Scalindua presence: in the BUS, at [O2] > 50 µmol L−1, the BHT-x ratio was < 0.18 at both off -and onshore sites (in all but one case) and a ratio > 0.18 corresponded in all cases (except one) with the presence of Ca. Scalindua 16S rRNA genes. Lastly, when investigating in situ anammox, we highlight the importance of using ladderane IPLs over BHT-x and/or ladderane FAs; these latter compounds are more recalcitrant and may derive from transported fossil anammox bacteria remnants.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 2051 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Kratzer ◽  
Dmytro Kyryliuk ◽  
Moa Edman ◽  
Petra Philipson ◽  
Steve Lyon

Monthly CHL-a and Secchi Depth (SD) data derived from the full mission data of the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS; 2002–2012) were analysed along a horizontal transect from the inner Bråviken bay and out into the open sea. The CHL-a values were calibrated using an algorithm derived from Swedish lakes. Then, calibrated Chl-a and Secchi Depth (SD) estimates were extracted from MERIS data along the transect and compared to conventional monitoring data as well as to data from the Swedish Coastal zone Model (SCM), providing physico-biogeochemical parameters such as temperature, nutrients, Chlorophyll-a (CHL-a) and Secchi depth (SD). A high negative correlation was observed between satellite-derived CHL-a and SD (ρ = −0.91), similar to the in situ relationship established for several coastal gradients in the Baltic proper. We also demonstrate that the validated MERIS-based estimates and data from the SCM showed strong correlations for the variables CHL-a, SD and total nitrogen (TOTN), which improved significantly when analysed on a monthly basis across basins. The relationship between satellite-derived CHL-a and modelled TOTN was also evaluated on a monthly basis using least-square linear regression models. The predictive power of the models was strong for the period May-November (R2: 0.58–0.87), and the regression algorithm for summer was almost identical to the algorithm generated from in situ data in Himmerfjärden bay. The strong correlation between SD and modelled TOTN confirms that SD is a robust and reliable indicator to evaluate changes in eutrophication in the Baltic proper which can be assessed using remote sensing data. Amongst all three assessed methods, only MERIS CHL-a was able to correctly depict the pattern of phytoplankton phenology that is typical for the Baltic proper. The approach of combining satellite data and physio-biogeochemical models could serve as a powerful tool and value-adding complement to the scarcely available in situ data from national monitoring programs. In particular, satellite data will help to reduce uncertainties in long-term monitoring data due to its improved measurement frequency.


2015 ◽  
Vol 56 (69) ◽  
pp. 137-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priska A. Hunkeler ◽  
Stefan Hendricks ◽  
Mario Hoppmann ◽  
Stephan Paul ◽  
Rüdiger Gerdes

AbstractIce-platelet clusters modify the heat and mass balance of sea ice near Antarctic ice shelves and provide a unique habitat for ice-associated organisms. The amount and distribution of these ice crystals below the solid sea ice provide insight into melt rates and circulation regimes in the ice-shelf cavities, which are difficult to observe directly. However, little is known about the circum-Antarctic volume of the sub-sea-ice platelet layer, because observations have mostly been limited to point measurements. In this study, we present a new application of multi-frequency electromagnetic (EM) induction sounding to quantify platelet-layer properties. Combining in situ data with the theoretical response yields a bulk platelet-layer conductivity of 1154 ± 271 mS m–1 and ice-volume fractions of 0.29-0.43. Calibration routines and uncertainties are discussed in detail to facilitate future studies. Our results suggest that multi-frequency EM induction sounding is a promising method to efficiently map platelet-layer volume on a larger scale than has previously been feasible.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Martin ◽  
Darren Ghent ◽  
Ana Pires ◽  
Frank-Michael Göttsche ◽  
Jan Cermak ◽  
...  

Global land surface temperature (LST) data derived from satellite-based infrared radiance measurements are highly valuable for various applications in climate research. While in situ validation of satellite LST data sets is a challenging task, it is needed to obtain quantitative information on their accuracy. In the standardised approach to multi-sensor validation presented here for the first time, LST data sets obtained with state-of-the-art retrieval algorithms from several sensors (AATSR, GOES, MODIS, and SEVIRI) are matched spatially and temporally with multiple years of in situ data from globally distributed stations representing various land cover types in a consistent manner. Commonality of treatment is essential for the approach: all satellite data sets are projected to the same spatial grid, and transformed into a common harmonized format, thereby allowing comparison with in situ data to be undertaken with the same methodology and data processing. The large data base of standardised satellite LST provided by the European Space Agency’s GlobTemperature project makes previously difficult to perform LST studies and applications more feasible and easier to implement. The satellite data sets are validated over either three or ten years, depending on data availability. Average accuracies over the whole time span are generally within ±2.0 K during night, and within ± 4.0 K during day. Time series analyses over individual stations reveal seasonal cycles. They stem, depending on the station, from surface anisotropy, topography, or heterogeneous land cover. The results demonstrate the maturity of the LST products, but also highlight the need to carefully consider their temporal and spatial properties when using them for scientific purposes.


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