Mechanisms Driving Decadal Changes in the Carbonate System of a Coastal Plain Estuary

Abstract

This dataset includes model outputs presented in the associated publication (Da et al. 2021, Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans). This study used a three-dimensional ecosystem model to quantify the relative impacts of multiple anthropogenic drivers on the Chesapeake Bay carbonate system over the past three decades. Model simulations highlight that increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations and decreased terrestrial nutrient inputs are two primary drivers causing nearly equal reductions in pH in surface waters of the Bay. Files | Description These are daily model outputs used to generate results and figures shown in Da et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 2021. Please see associated journal article for details. We conducted nine model simulations, and outputs of each simulation are saved in two folders. Therefore, there are 18 folders, including two for 1985-1989 reference model simulation, two for 2015-2019 reference model simulation, and 14 for sensitivity simulations (see details below). All files are in netCDF format, which can be manipulated and displayed by a wide range of freely available (e.g., Python) and licensed software (e.g., MATLAB), see https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf/docs/. For detailed information about the open-source model: Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), see: www.myroms.org. Note that both ocean_avg*.nc and ocean_dia*.nc files save daily averaged model outputs. Primary production rate is read from ocean_dia*.nc files, while other variables are read from ocean_avg*.nc files. Names of these simulations in the following “File Description Table” are also listed in Table 1 of the associated publication. • out_ref1985_01: Model Output – Reference model simulation (1985-1986) • out_ref1985_02: Model Output – Reference model simulation (1987-1989) • out_ref2015_01: Model Output – Reference model simulation (2015-2016) • out_ref2015_02: Model Output – Reference model simulation (2017-2019) • out_airCO2_01: Model Output – Increased atmospheric CO2 concentration, AtmCO2 sensitivity experiment (2015-2016) • out_airCO2_02: Model Output – Increased atmospheric CO2 concentration, AtmCO2 sensitivity experiment (2017-2019) • out_airT_01: Model Output – Increased atmospheric temperature and longwave radiation, AtmT sensitivity experiment (2015-2016) • out_airT_02: Model Output – Increased atmospheric temperature and longwave radiation, AtmT sensitivity experiment (2017-2019) • out_bryDIC_01: Model Output – Increased oceanic dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations, OcnC sensitivity experiment (2015-2016) • out_bryDIC_02: Model Output – Increased oceanic dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations, OcnC sensitivity experiment (2017-2019) • out_rivDIN_01: Model Output – Decreased riverine nitrate concentrations, RivNO3 sensitivity experiment (2015-2016) • out_rivDIN_02: Model Output – Decreased riverine nitrate concentrations, RivNO3 sensitivity experiment (2017-2019) • out_rivON_01: Model Output – Decreased riverine organic nitrogen concentrations, RivON sensitivity experiment (2015-2016) • out_rivON_02: Model Output – Decreased riverine organic nitrogen concentrations, RivON sensitivity experiment (2017-2019) • out_rivTADIC_01: Model Output – Increased riverine total alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations, RivC sensitivity experiment (2015-2016) • out_rivTADIC_02: Model Output – Increased riverine total alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations, RivC sensitivity experiment (2017-2019) • out_all_01: Model Output – Modify all six drivers together, All sensitivity experiment (20152016) • out_all_02: Model Output – Modify all six drivers together, All sensitivity experiment (20172019) FILES ARE AVAILABLE AT: https://doi.org/10.25773/6087-bj68