GOSAC: Global ocean storage of anthropogenic carbon

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 97.0414

Key words (English)

Carbon cycle; anthropogenic climate change

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: ENV4-CT97-0495

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 4. Frame Research Programme - 3.1 Environment

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: CNRS.IPSL (F)

Abstract (English)

The implementation of CFC-11 and CFC-12 in the Bern ocean model and the standard simulations for both tracers have been performed. Agreement with observations is reasonable. For model comparison and evaluation a number of model simulations has been designed by the GOSAC/OCMIP members. The implementation of the standard protocol for the abiotic carbon and radiocarbon simulations has been completed and simulations have been performed for (a) the pre-industrial equilibrium, reached after a model spin-up of 20 kyrs, (b) the industrial period (1765-2000) , and two scenarios. The output of the abiotic equilibrium, historic and future simulations has been submitted to the GOSAC analysis center where it was added to the GOSAC database. Ocean carbon uptake of the Bern model is in the upper range of all models participating in the intercomparison.

The marine biological cycle is an important component of the oceanic carbon cycle. The coding of a module describing marine biological processes following OCMIP/GOSAC standard protocol has been completed and tested. This required a major programming effort. We have continued the investigation of climatic feedbacks on ocean carbon uptake. First results of our global warming simulations have been published in Science (Joos et al., 1999). Recently, the analysis of the model results has been extended focusing more on regional aspects of the results. Our results are also used for the preparation of the carbon cycle chapter of the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 97.0414