Remote sensing observations of ocean physical and biological properties in the region of the Southern Ocean Iron Experiment (SOFeX)
Citable URI
https://hdl.handle.net/1912/1175As published
https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JC003289DOI
10.1029/2005JC003289Keyword
SeaWiFS; Iron; Marginal ice zoneAbstract
Satellite remote sensing estimates of surface chlorophyll, temperature, wind speed, and
sea ice cover are examined in the region of the Southern Ocean Iron Experiment (SOFeX). Our
objectives are to place SOFeX into a regional context and highlight regional mesoscale spatial
and monthly temporal variability. SOFeX fertilized two patches with iron, one south of the
Antarctic Polar front (PF) and one north of the PF but south of the Subantarctic Front (SAF).
Satellite observable phytoplankton blooms developed in both patches.
The spring sea-ice retreat near the south patch site was delayed in the 2001-2002 season,
in turn delaying the naturally occurring, modest spring bloom in this region. Ambient surface
chlorophyll concentrations for the area surrounding the southern patch during January 2002 are
low (mean 0.26 mg/m3) compared with climatological January values (0.42 mg/m3). Regions
east and west at similar latitudes exhibited higher mean chlorophyll concentrations (0.79 and
0.74 mg/m3, respectively). These modest phytoplankton blooms were likely stimulated by
melting sea-ice via changes in the light-mixing regime and release of iron, and were smaller in
magnitude than the iron-induced bloom within the SOFeX southern patch (> 3 mg/m3). Iron
inputs from melting ice may drive much of the natural spatial and temporal variability within the
seasonal ice zone. Mean chlorophyll concentrations surrounding the SOFeX northern patch site
were similar to climatological values during the SOFeX season. The northern patch was
stretched into a long, thin filament along the southern boundary of the SAF, likely increasing the
mixing/dilution rate with surrounding waters.
Description
Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2006. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research 111 (2006): C06026, doi:10.1029/2005JC003289.
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