Description: The ocean's biological carbon pump plays a central role in regulating atmospheric CO2 levels. In particular, the depth at which sinking organic carbon is broken down and respired in the mesopelagic zone is critical, with deeper remineralization resulting in greater carbon storage. Until recently, however, a balanced budget of the supply and consumption of organic carbon in the mesopelagic had not been constructed in any region of the ocean, and the processes controlling organic carbon turnover are still poorly understood. Large-scale data syntheses suggest that a wide range of factors can influence remineralization depth including upper-ocean ecological interactions, and interior dissolved oxygen concentration and temperature. However, these analyses do not provide a mechanistic understanding of remineralization, which increases the challenge of appropriately modeling the mesopelagic carbon dynamics. In light of this, the UK Natural Environment Research Council has funded a programme with this mechanistic understanding as its aim, drawing targeted fieldwork right through to implementation of a new parameterization for mesopelagic remineralization within an IPCC class global biogeochemical model. The Controls over Ocean Mesopelagic Interior Carbon Storage (COMICS) programme will deliver new insights into the processes of carbon cycling in the mesopelagic zone and how these influence ocean carbon storage. Here we outline the programme's rationale, its goals, planned fieldwork, and modeling activities, with the aim of stimulating international collaboration.

Description: We present dissolved and total dissolvable trace elements for spring and summer cruises in 2010 in the high‐latitude North Atlantic. Surface and full depth data are provided for Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the Iceland and Irminger Basins, and consequences of biological uptake and inputs by the spring Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption are assessed. Ash from Eyjafjallajökull resulted in pronounced increases in Al, Mn, and Zn in surface waters in close proximity to Iceland during the eruption, while 3 months later during the summer cruise levels had returned to more typical values for the region. The apparent seasonal removal ratios of surface trace elements were consistent with biological export. Assessment of supply of trace elements to the surface mixed layer for the region, excluding volcanic inputs, indicated that deep winter mixing was the dominant source, with diffusive mixing being a minor source (between 13.5% [dissolved Cd, DCd] and −2.43% [DZn] of deep winter flux), and atmospheric inputs being an important source only for DAl and DZn (DAl up to 42% and DZn up to 4.2% of deep winter + diffusive fluxes) and typically less than 1% for the other elements. Elemental supply ratios to the surface mixed layer through convection were comparable to apparent removal ratios we calculated between spring and summer. Given that deep mixing dominated nutrient and trace element supply to surface waters, predicted increases in water column stratification in this region may reduce supply, with potential consequences for primary production and the biological carbon pump.

Description: Key Points: Bio‐essential element concentrations in surface waters decreased from spring to summer with removal ratios reflecting biological uptake. Effects of volcanic inputs from Eyjafjallajökull in spring 2010 were pronounced for Al, Mn, and Zn but returned to typical levels in summer. Deep winter convection dominated trace element supply to surface waters with minor contributions from atmospheric and diffusive mixing.

Description: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003153

Description: Natural Environment Research Council http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000270

Description: Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for marine microbial organisms, and low supply controls productivity in large parts of the world’s ocean. The high latitude North Atlantic is seasonally Fe limited, but Fe distributions and source strengths are poorly constrained. Surface ocean dissolved Fe (DFe) concentrations were low in the study region (〈0.1 nM) in summer 2010, with significant perturbations during spring 2010 in the Iceland Basin as a result of an eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano (up to 2.5 nM DFe near Iceland) with biogeochemical consequences. Deep water concentrations in the vicinity of the Reykjanes Ridge system were influenced by pronounced sediment resuspension, with indications for additional inputs by hydrothermal vents, with subsequent lateral transport of Fe and manganese plumes of up to 250–300 km. Particulate Fe formed the dominant pool, as evidenced by 4–17 fold higher total dissolvable Fe compared with DFe concentrations, and a dynamic exchange between the fractions appeared to buffer deep water DFe. Here we show that Fe supply associated with deep winter mixing (up to 103 nmol m−2 d−1) was at least ca. 4–10 times higher than atmospheric deposition, diffusive fluxes at the base of the summer mixed layer, and horizontal surface ocean fluxes.

Description: Key Points: - Bio-essential element concentrations in surface waters decreased from spring to summer with removal ratios reflecting biological uptake - Effects of volcanic inputs from Eyjafjallajökull in spring 2010 were pronounced for Al, Mn and Zn but returned to typical levels in summer - Deep winter convection dominated trace element supply to surface waters with minor contributions from atmospheric and diffusive mixing We present dissolved and total dissolvable trace elements for spring and summer cruises in 2010 in the high latitude North Atlantic. Surface and full depth data are provided for Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn in the Iceland and Irminger Basins, and consequences of biological uptake and inputs by the spring Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption are assessed. Ash from Eyjafjallajökull resulted in pronounced increases in Al, Mn and Zn in surface waters in close proximity to Iceland during the eruption, whilst 3 months later during the summer cruise levels had returned to more typical values for the region. The apparent seasonal removal ratios of surface trace elements were consistent with biological export. Assessment of supply of trace elements to the surface mixed layer for the region, excluding volcanic inputs, indicated that deep winter mixing was the dominant source, with diffusive mixing being a minor source (between 13.5% (dissolved Cd (DCd)) and ‐2.43% (DZn) of deep winter flux), and atmospheric inputs being an important source only for DAl and DZn (DAl up to 42% and DZn up to 4.2% of deep winter+diffusive fluxes) and typically less than 1% for the other elements. Elemental supply ratios to the surface mixed layer through convection were comparable to apparent removal ratios we calculated between spring and summer. Given that deep mixing dominated nutrient and trace element supply to surface waters, predicted increases in water column stratification in this region may reduce supply, with potential consequences for primary production and the biological carbon pump.