On the variability of dissolved oxygen and apparent oxygen utilization content for the upper world ocean: 1955 to 1998
Abstract
We document variability in O2, AOU, and heat content in the top 100 m of the world ocean (70°S-70°N) between 1955 and 1998 using observational data. The lowest O2 (highest AOU) content in the late-1950s are followed by high content in the mid-1980s and by low content in the late-1990s. The O2 and AOU content variability is characterized by relatively small linear trends superimposed on large decadal-scale fluctuations. The largest O2 content changes occur in the Northern Hemisphere (NH). The NH exhibits a negative linear trend in O2 content of ~-30 Tmol per decade between 1983 and 1998 and a positive linear trend of ~6 Tmol per decade between 1955 and 1998 (1 Tmol = 1012 mol). The trends in O2, AOU, and heat content are sensitive to the time frame of the measurements. The results indicate that a constant upper-ocean O2 content inventory should not be assumed on decadal time-scales.
- Publication:
-
Geophysical Research Letters
- Pub Date:
- May 2005
- DOI:
- 10.1029/2004GL022286
- Bibcode:
- 2005GeoRL..32.9604G
- Keywords:
-
- Oceanography: General: Climate and interannual variability (1616;
- 1635;
- 3305;
- 3309;
- 4513);
- Oceanography: Biological and Chemical: Biogeochemical cycles;
- processes;
- and modeling (0412;
- 0414;
- 0793;
- 1615;
- 4912);
- Oceanography: Biological and Chemical: Gases