With funding through this Grant for Rapid Response Research (RAPID), a research team at the University of Miami, in collaboration with another team in Bermuda, will provide critical measurements of the carbonate parameters on the upcoming North Atlantic GEOTRACES cruises. These results will be vitally important in interpreting the trace metal studies. A secondary scientific objective is to provide additional measurements of salinity and density in the Atlantic Ocean. Similar measurements, made in the Pacific and Indian oceans, have been used in the 2010 International Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater (TEOS-10). This data will provide additional information on the study of the impact and influence of the carbon cycle on climate change and the workings of the ocean?s biogeochemical cycles. This research is part of a larger international effort to monitor the ocean's response to climate change. The originally proposed work was delayed because of the termination of the R/V Knorr cruise. RAPID funding is requested in order to complete the research and to prepare for a unique cruise that sails around the 5 November 2011 aboard the R/VKnorr.
The broader impacts of these continuing measurements provide dissemination of data to enhance scientific and technological understanding to assess climate change. This work will be part of the dissertation research of a Ph.D. students. It will promote training and learning of graduate students as well as undergraduate students. Outreach activities will continue as opportunities arise. The results will be disseminated throughout the scientific community through resulting publications and the presentation of results at national and international meetings
Dr. Frank J. Millero, Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149; Email: fmillero@rsmas.miami.edu The U.S. GEOTRACES Zonal North Atlantic Survey is a collaborative program involved in studying the distribution of trace metals in the world ocean. These trace metals are involved in a number of biogeochemical processes (e.g., primary production) in the oceans. The program is making careful measurements of the concentrations of trace elements in the world ocean. The scientists recently completed their first cruise on the R/V Knorr from Woods Hole, MA to the coast of Africa. As part of this study, they collected samples of seawater to measure the properties of the carbon dioxide system. The CO2 laboratory of Dr. Frank J. Millero at the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, University of Miami measured the carbonate parameters on these samples. The results have been used to determine the pH and total inorganic carbon in water from the surface to a depth of around 3000 m. The results will be useful in analyzing the measurements made on the trace metals in the North Atlantic Ocean. The measurements were made by graduate and undergraduate students in degree programs at the University of Miami.
