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Influence of El Niño on the equatorial Pacific contribution to atmospheric CO2 accumulation

Author

Listed:
  • Richard A. Feely

    (Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, NOAA)

  • Rik Wanninkhof

    (Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, NOAA)

  • Taro Takahashi

    (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University)

  • Pieter Tans

    (Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory)

Abstract

The equatorial oceans are the dominant oceanic source of CO2 to the atmosphere, annually amounting to a net flux of 0.7–1.5 Pg (1015 g) of carbon, up to 72% of which emanates from the equatorial Pacific Ocean1,2,3. Limited observations indicate that the size of the equatorial Pacific source is significantly influenced by El Niño events4,5,6,7,8,9,10, but the effect has not been well quantified. Here we report spring and autumn multiannual measurements of the partial pressure of CO2 in the surface ocean and atmosphere in the equatorial Pacific region. During the 1991–94 El Niño period, the derived net annual sea-to-air flux of CO2 was 0.3 Pg C from autumn 1991 to autumn 1992, 0.6 Pg C in 1993, and 0.7 Pg C in 1994. These annual fluxes are 30–80% of that of 1996, a non-El-Niño year. The total reduction of the regional sea-to-air CO2 flux during the 1991–94 El Niño period is estimated to account for up to one-third of the atmospheric anomaly (the difference between the annual and long-term-average increases in global atmospheric CO2 content) observed over the same period.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard A. Feely & Rik Wanninkhof & Taro Takahashi & Pieter Tans, 1999. "Influence of El Niño on the equatorial Pacific contribution to atmospheric CO2 accumulation," Nature, Nature, vol. 398(6728), pages 597-601, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:398:y:1999:i:6728:d:10.1038_19273
    DOI: 10.1038/19273
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    Cited by:

    1. Mikkel Bennedsen & Eric Hillebrand & Siem Jan Koopman, 2020. "A statistical model of the global carbon budget," CREATES Research Papers 2020-18, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University.
    2. Mikkel Bennedsen & Eric Hillebrand & Morten {O}rregaard Nielsen, 2024. "The Global Carbon Budget as a cointegrated system," Papers 2412.09226, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2025.

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