Ocean Biogeochemistry and Air-Sea Carbon Exchange in an Evolving Climate

The ocean plays a central role in modulating climate and atmospheric chemistry through the air-sea fluxes of carbon dioxide and other radiative and chemically-active trace gases. At present, the ocean is estimated to take up about a quarter of anthropogenic carbon emissions, slowing climate warming and contributing to ocean acidification. Studies using Earth System Model indicate that the ocean will likely become less efficient at removing excess atmospheric carbon dioxide under a future warmer climate due to shifts in ocean circulation that will also strongly influence marine ecosystem dynamics. Increasingly, these model projections are open to more robust evaluation using advanced laboratory culture and field experiments along with the growing wealth of ocean observations from traditional field surveys, satellite remote sensing, and autonomous observing systems. The talk will map out future research directions leveraging observations and models to improve future projections and address ocean climate adaptation and mitigation challenges.