The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY (한국해양학회지:바다)

The Korean Society of Oceanography (한국해양학회)
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The Impact of the Oceanic Biological Pump on Atmospheric CO2 and Its Link to Climate Change

해양 생물 펌프가 대기 중 이산화탄소에 미치는 영향 그리고 기후 변동과의 연관성

  • Kwon, Eun Young (Research Institute of Oceanography, Seoul National University) ;
  • Cho, Yang-Ki (School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University)
  • Received : 2013.06.24
  • Accepted : 2013.11.06
  • Published : 2013.11.28
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Abstract

The ocean is the largest reservoir of carbon in the climate system. Atmospheric $CO_2$ is efficiently transferred to the deep ocean by a process called the biological carbon pump: photosynthetic fixation of $CO_2$ at the sea surface and remineralization of sinking organic carbon at depths are main causes for the vertical contrast of carbon in the ocean. The sequestered carbon to the deep ocean returns to the sea surface by ocean circulation. Part of the upwelled $CO_2$ leaks into the atmosphere through air-sea gas exchange. It has been suggested that the air-sea partitioning of carbon has varied in concert with the glacial-interglacial climate variations, due partly to changes in ocean circulation. In this review paper, we briefly summarize key concepts of the oceanic carbon pump. We also discuss the response of the air-sea carbon partitioning to change in ocean circulation in the context of the glacial-interglacial climate change.

바다-육지-대기로 이루어진 기후 시스템에서 가장 큰 탄소의 저장고는 바다이다. 바다가 대기로부터 탄소를 흡수하는 주요 수단은 생물 활동에 의한 것으로서, 광합성에 의해 유기 물질로 동화된 탄소가 해저로 침강하고 분해되는 과정에서 깊은 바다물은 탄소를 축적하게 된다. 이러한 탄소 수송 작용을 생물 펌프라 부르며, 해수면 탄소 농도를 낮춤으로써 대기 중 이산화탄소 분압을 낮은 상태로 유지해주는 중요한 기작이다. 생물 펌프에 의해 해저에 축적된 탄소는 해양 순환에 의해 해수면에 돌아오고, 해양-대기 기체 교환에 의해 대기로 배출된다. 바다가 대기와 소통하는 이산화탄소의 양은 과거 빙하기-간빙기 기후 변동과 관련하여 과거 수십만년동안 대기 중 이산화탄소 분압변화에 주도적인 역할을 하여 온 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 논문에서는 바다에서 일어나는 탄소 순환을 간단하게 소개하고, 해양 순환의 변화가 어떻게 탄소 순환을 변형시키고, 대기 중 이산화탄소에 영향을 미치는지를 기후 변동의 관점에서 살펴보고자 한다.

Keywords

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