Ocean and Polar Research

Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (한국해양과학기술원)
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Variation of Nitrate Concentrations and δ15N Values of Seawater in the Drake Passage, Antarctic Ocean

남극해 드레이크해협 해수의 질산염 농도와 질소동위원소 값의 변화

  • Jang, Yang-Hee (Division of Earth Environmental System, Pusan National University) ;
  • Khim, Boo-Keun (Division of Earth Environmental System, Pusan National University) ;
  • Shin, Hyoung-Chul (Division of Polar Biology & Ocean Sciences, KOPRI, KORDI) ;
  • Sigman, Daniel M. (Department of Geosciences, Princeton University) ;
  • Wang, Yi (Department of Geosciences, Princeton University) ;
  • Hong, Chang-Su (Climate Change & Coastal Disaster Research Department, KORDI)
  • 장양희 (부산대학교 지구환경시스템학부) ;
  • 김부근 (부산대학교 지구환경시스템학부) ;
  • 신형철 (한국해양연구원 부설 극지연구소 극지생물해양연구부) ;
  • ;
  • ;
  • 홍창수 (한국해양연구원 기후.연안재해연구부)
  • Published : 2008.12.30
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Abstract

Seawater samples were collected at discrete depths from five stations across the polar front in the Drake Passage (Antarctic Ocean) by the $20^{th}$ Korea Antarctic Research Program in December, 2006. Nitrate concentrations of seawater increase with depth within the photic zone above the depth of Upper Circumpolar Deep Water (UCDW). In contrast, ${\delta}^{15}N$ values of seawater nitrate decrease with depth, showing a mirror image to the nitrate variation. Such a distinct vertical variation is mainly attributed to the degree of nitrate assimilation by phytoplankton as well as organic matter degradation of sinking particles within the surface layer. The preferential $^{14}{NO_3}^-$ assimilation by the phytoplankton causes $^{15}{NO_3}^-$ concentration to become high in a closedsystem surface-water environment during the primary production, whereas more $^{14}{NO_3}^-$ is added to the seawater during the degradation of sinking organic particles. The water-mass mixing seems to play an important role in the alteration of ${\delta}^{15}N$ values in the deep layer below the UCDW. Across the polar front, nitrate concentrations of surface seawater decrease and corresponding ${\delta}^{15}N$ values increase northward, which is likely due to the degree of nitrate utilization during the primary production. Based on the Rayleigh model, the calculated ${\varepsilon}$ (isotope effect of nitrate uptake) values between 4.0%o and 5.8%o were validated by the previously reported data, although the preformed ${\delta}^{15}{{NO_3}^-}_{initial}$ value of UCDW is important in the calculation of ${\varepsilon}$ values.

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References

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