Publication Abstract

The tracer signature of Antarctic Bottom Water and its spread in the Southwest Indian Ocean: Part II - Dissolution fluxes of dissolved silicate and their impact on its use as a chemical.

The tracer signature of Antarctic Bottom Water and its spread in the Southwest Indian Ocean: Part II - Dissolution fluxes of dissolved silicate and their impact on its use as a chemical

S.M. Boswell, D. Smythe-Wright, S.E. Holley and D. Kirkwood

Using a combination of dissolved silicate, oxygen and a simple ternary mixing model we have been able to make comparisons of dissolved silicate and oxygen anomalies in the Southwest Indian Ocean and distinguish between remineralisation and diagenetic release as sources of Antarctic Bottom Water's (AABW) enhanced dissolved silicate concentrations. Combining theses data with transit times deduced from CFC measurements (see Part 1) we have gone on to make estimates of the diagenetic and remineralisation fluxes of silicate to the deep waters of the region. This provides a novel approach to the determination of such fluxes and as such our results should help to provide tighter constraints on future estimates of the global silicate balance.

Reference:

S.M. Boswell, D. Smythe-Wright, S.E. Holley and D. Kirkwood, 2002. The tracer signature of Antarctic Bottom Water and its spread in the Southwest Indian Ocean: Part II - Dissolution fluxes of dissolved silicate and their impact on its use as a chemical. Deep Research Part 1: 49(3): 575-590.

S.M. Boswell, D. Smythe-Wright, S.E. Holley and D. Kirkwood*

Deep Research Part I, 49(3): 575-590