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| Titel |
Greenland Ice Sheet nutrient export: Towards a reaction-transport model of fjord dynamics |
| VerfasserIn |
James Crosby, Sandra Arndt, Jemma Wadham, Rory Bingham |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2015
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 17 (2015) |
| Datensatznummer |
250110644
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 EGU/EGU2015-10669.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Glacial runoff has the potential to deliver large quantities of dissolved and particulate
bioavailable nutrients to surrounding marine environments. The marine waters bordering the
Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) host some of the most productive ecosystems in the world, and
possess high socio-economic value from fisheries. Furthermore, the productivity of
phytoplankton in the North Atlantic sequesters CO2 from the atmosphere with a potentially
important effect on the global coastal ocean CO2 budget. Providing a link between glacier
and coastal ocean, fjords are critical components of the marine coastal system in this region,
acting as both transfer routes and sinks for glacial nutrient export. As such they
have the potential to act as significant biogeochemical processors, yet are currently
underexplored.
We propose to close this knowledge gap by developing a coupled 2D physical-biogeochemical
model of the Godthåbsfjord system to quantitatively assess the impact of nutrients exported
from the GrIS on fjord primary productivity and biogeochemical dynamics. Here, we present
the first results of the hydrodynamic model. Hydrodynamic circulation patterns
and freshwater transit times are explored to provide a first understanding of the
glacier-fjord-ocean continuum. The hydrodynamic model will be dynamically coupled to a
biogeochemical model with the view to providing a comprehensive understanding
of the fate of nutrients exported from the GrIS. This will be extended to address
the future sensitivity of these coastal systems to a warming climate, knowledge of
which is critical when assessing the role of these dynamic and unique environments. |
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