Variation of pCO(2) concentrations induced by tropical cyclones “Wind-Pump” in the middle-latitude surface oceans: A comparative study

The Bermuda Testbed Mooring (BTM) and Bay of Bengal Ocean Acidification (BOBOA) mooring measurements were used to identify changes in the partial pressure of CO(2) at the sea surface (pCO(2sea)) and air-sea CO(2) fluxes (F(CO2)) associated with passage of two tropical cyclones (TCs), Florence and Hudhud. TC Florence passed about 165 km off the BTM mooring site with strong wind speeds of 24.8 m s(–1) and translation speed of 7.23 m s(–1). TC Hudhud passed about 178 km off the BOBOA mooring site with wind speeds of 14.0 m s(–1) and translation speed of 2.58 m s(–1). The present study examined the effect of temperature, salinity, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA), air-sea CO(2) flux, and phytoplankton chlorophyll a change on pCO(2sea) as a response to TCs. Enhanced mixed layer depths were observed due to TCs-induced vertical mixing at both mooring sites. Decreased pCO(2sea) (–15.16±5.60 μatm) at the BTM mooring site and enhanced pCO(2sea) (14.81±7.03 μatm) at the BOBOA mooring site were observed after the passage of Florence and Hudhud, respectively. Both DIC and TA are strongly correlated with salinity in the upper layer of the isothermal layer depth (ILD). Strong (weak) vertical gradient in salinity is accompanied by strong (weak) vertical gradients in DIC and TA. Strong vertical salinity gradient in the upper layer of the ILD (0.031 psu m(–1)), that supply much salinity, dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity from the thermocline was the cause of the increased pCO(2sea) in the BOBOA mooring water. Weak vertical salinity gradient in the upper layer of the ILD (0.003 psu m(–1)) was responsible for decreasing pCO(2sea) in the BTM mooring water. The results of this study showed that the vertical salinity gradient in the upper layer of the ILD is a good indicator of the pCO(2sea) variation after the passages of TCs.