Carbon Explorer Assessment of Carbon Biomass Variability and Carbon Flux Systematics in the Upper Ocean During SOFEX

Three autonomous Carbon Explorers built on SIO's Orbcomm/GPS enhanced Sounding Oceanographic Lagrangian Observer were launched near 55S 172W in the "North" SOFEX experiment area in early January 2002. All Explorers at 55S were programmed to perform profiles from 1000, 300, and 300 m with surfacings, GPS position, and telemetry of profile data initiating at local 0600, 1200, and 1800 hours. The floats were programmed to 'sleep' at 100 m depth between profiles to maximize tracking of the surface layer. Each Explorer carried SeaBird T and S sensors and was additionally fitted with a WETLabs transmissometer based "POC" sensor and a Seapoint scattering meter to assess particulate matter variability. A carbon flux "index" obtained during the 100 m sleep periods was also derived from the POC sensor readings. Explorer 1177 was deployed as a control outside of Fe treated waters on Jan 11 2002 (UTC) and drifted initially to the North East at 10 cm/sec. Explorer 2104, deployed on Jan 19 2002 after the 3rd Fe infusion, advected with the patch to the NE on a course that closely paralleled that of the "control". By Feb 8 2002, the two floats had drifted with the circumpolar current nearly 200 km; Explorer 2104 had recorded a 4-fold build-up of of particles in the upper 60 m whereas records from the nearby control Explorer 1177 showed little change. Ship survey data (Revelle) indicated that Explorer 2104 was near but "in" the trailing edge of the patch. Beginning Feb 14 (several days after the 4th infusion of Fe) and ending on Feb 24 2002, Explorer 2104 data showed isolines of POC concentration beginning to deepen in waters below 60 m and a coincident loss of POC from above; the POC flux index also began to show clearly different and enhanced 'spikes' compared to that recorded by the control. The spikes either reflected temporal variability of particle export from the patch or the intermingled sampling of the "in patch" settling plume of particles and "out-of-patch" background flux. Preliminary analysis of POC flux index integrated over time since the initial Fe amendment indicated a >2 fold enhancement of export from the iron treated waters. If the Explorer was indeed sampling the plume of sinking material intermittently, then the true export enhancement from the patch would be considerably greater. The last 'trace' of Fe treated waters was seen in early March 2002. Explorers 1177 and 2104 continue operations in the howling 50's of the Southern Ocean 8+ months after their deployment.