Bjerknessenterets mål er å forstå klima
til nytte for samfunnet.

Presentation of SKD-projects: BIGCHANGE

Researchers, goals, main results, the next step

Body

BIGCHANGE - Biochemical change and detection

What are the goals of the project?

To advance our understanding of how climate change manifests on the high latitude carbon cycle using state-of-the-art observational evidences and modeling tools.


What are the main results so far?

Last year, the latest version of Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCATv3) and Global Ocean Data Analysis Product (GLODAPv2) were released. These major synthesis efforts, coordinated by scientists in BIGCHANGE, form the most comprehensive surface and interior biogeochemical data collections with global coverage. A newly collected data set reveals significant change in the interior oxygen and carbon dioxide concentration, which is imprinted during the deepest winter convection ever recorded in the Irminger Sea. Through analyzing ensemble of CMIP5 Earth system models, we found the Southern Ocean to be key in constraining future ocean carbon sequestration.


What are the future plans?

Using the latest datasets, we are investigating whether there is any clear evidence of trend and multi decadal changes in the ocean carbon cycle, both attributed by increasing atmospheric CO2 and climate change. The soon-to-be finalized next generation Norwegian Earth System Model (NorESM2) will include improved components, which allow us to better quantify how different physical processes, such as mesoscale circulation, influence the transport and cycling of ocean biogeochemical tracers under the updated future scenarios. We will use optimized regional models to project climate change impact on Arctic biogeochemistry.

Two postdocs will be hired this year. One will assess the feedback arising from climate-induced changes in the permafrost regions. The other will utilize proxy records and modeling tools to determine ocean circulation-carbon cycle linkages in the Pliocene and interglacial periods.

Who is involved?

UiB: Are Olsen, Christoph Heinze, Ulysses Ninnemann, Friederike Fröb, Marie Eide
UNI: Jerry Tjiputra, Hanna Lee, Zhongshi Zhang, Carin Andersson Dahl, Abdiraham Omar
NERSC: Annette Samuelsen, Laurent Bertino, Mohamad el Gharamti)
IMR: Morten Skogen

Duration: 2015 - 2017