Characterization of ocean biogeochemical processes: a generalized total least-squares estimator of the Redfield ratios

Véronique Guglielmi (1, 2) , Catherine Goyet (1, 2) , Franck Touratier (2, 1)

1 IMAGES-Espace DEV - Institut de Modélisation et d'Analyses en géo-environnement et santé - Espace Développement
2 UMR 228 Espace-Dev, Espace pour le développement

The chemical composition of the global ocean is governed by biological, chemical and physical processes. These processes interact with each other so that the concentrations of carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrate and phosphate vary in constant proportions, referred to as the Redfield ratios. We build here the Generalized Total Least-Squares estimator of these ratios. The interest of our approach is twofold: it respects the hydrological characteristics of the studied areas, and it can be applied identically in any area where enough data are available. The tests performed on the Atlantic Ocean high- light a variability of the Redfield ratios, both with geographical location and with depth. This variability emphasizes the importance of local and accurate estimates of Redfield ratios.

Keywords: Ocean dynamics; ocean bioigeochemical processes

Keywords: océans et biosphère; océanographie; indicateurs biochimique océans

Domains: Oceanography

Véronique Guglielmi, Catherine Goyet, Franck Touratier. Characterization of ocean biogeochemical processes: a generalized total least-squares estimator of the Redfield ratios. Earth System Dynamics, 2015, 6, pp.2383-2416. ⟨10.5194/esdd-6-2383-2015⟩. ⟨hal-01400674⟩