Marion Benetti

Deuterium excess in marine water vapor: Dependency on relative humidity and surface wind speed during evaporation

We provide the first continuous measurements of isotopic composition (δD and δ18O) of water vapor over the subtropical Eastern North Atlantic Ocean from mid-August to mid-September 2012. The ship was located mostly around 26°N, 35°W where evaporation exceeded by far precipitation and water vapor at 20 m largely originated from surface evaporation. The only large deviations from that occurred during a 2 day period in the vicinity of a weak low-pressure system. The continuous measurements were used to investigate deuterium excess (d-excess) relation to evaporation. During 25 days d-excess was negatively correlated with relative humidity (r2 = 0.89). Moreover, d-excess estimated in an evaporative model with a closure assumption reproduced most of the observed variability. From these observations, the d-excess parameter seems to be a good indicator of evaporative conditions. We also conclude that in this region, d-excess into the marine boundary layer is less affected by mixing with the free troposphere than the isotopic composition. From our data, the transition from smooth to rough regime at the ocean surface is associated with a d-excess decrease of 5‰, which suggests the importance of the ocean surface roughness in controlling d-excess in this region.

D/H isotope ratios in the global hydrologic cycle

Deuterium to hydrogen (D/H) ratios in Earths hydrologic cycle have long served as important tracers of climate processes, yet the global HDO budget remains poorly constrained because of uncertainties in the isotopic compositions of continental evapotranspiration and runoff. Here bias-corrected satellite retrievals of HDO and H2O concentrations from the Tropospheric Emissions Spectrometer are used to estimate the marine atmospheric surface layer HDO vapor pressure deficit, from which we calculate the global flux-weighted average oceanic evaporation isotopic composition as −37.6‰. Using these estimates, combined with D/H ratios in precipitation, global mass balance suggests H isotope compositions for global runoff and terrestrial evapotranspiration of −77.3‰ and −40.0‰, respectively. By resolving the HDO budget, we establish an accurate global baseline for geochemically enabled Earth system models, demonstrate patterns in entrainment of moisture into the marine surface layer, and determine the isotopic composition of continental fluxes critical for global ecohydrologic investigations.

Importance of boundary layer mixing for the isotopic composition of surface vapor over the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean

During the summer 2012, we carried out continuous measurements of the isotopic composition (δ) of water vapor over the near-surface subtropical North Atlantic Ocean (STRASSE cruise). In this region of excess evaporation, we investigate the control of evaporation and mixing with a lower troposphere-derived, isotopically depleted air mass on the near-surface δ. We use a simple model to simulate the near-surface δ as the result of a two end-member mixing of the evaporative flux with free tropospheric air. The evaporative flux δ was estimated by the Craig and Gordon equation while the δ of the lower troposphere was taken from the LMDZ-iso global atmospheric circulation model. This simulation considers instantaneous mixing of lower tropospheric air with the evaporated flux and neglects lateral advection. Despite these simplifications, the simulations allow to identify the controls on the near-surface δ. The d-excess variability is largely a consequence of varying kinetic effects during evaporation, even during a convection event when the input of tropospheric vapor was strong. Kinetic effects and mixing processes affect simultaneously the near-surface δ and result in the vapor occupying distinct domains in the δ 18 O-δD space. The relative humidity-d-excess relationship shows that the closure assumption overestimates the d-excess variability at short time scales (less than a day). We interpret this as due to an effect of the residence time of the near-surface water vapor on the d-excess. Finally, we highlight the importance of reproducing mixing processes in models simulating isotopes over the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean and propose an extension of the closure assumption for use in initial conditions of distillation calculations.

Variability of sea ice melt and meteoric water input in the surface Labrador Current off Newfoundland

The respective contributions of saline (Atlantic and Pacific water) and freshwater (sea ice melt, meteoric water) components in the surface Labrador Current are quantified using salinity, δ18O, and nutrient data collected between 2012 and 2015 east of Newfoundland to investigate the seasonal variability of salinity in relation with the different freshwater contributions. Nutrient data indicate that the surface saline water is composed on average over 2012–2015 of roughly 62% Atlantic Water and 38% Pacific Water. A large salinity seasonal cycle of ≈ 1.5 peak-to-peak amplitude is found over the middle continental shelf, which is explained by the freshwater input seasonal variability: 2/3 of the amplitude of the salinity seasonal cycle can be explained by meteoric water input and 1/3 by the sea ice melt. A smaller seasonal salinity cycle (≈1.3) is observed over the inner shelf compared to the middle shelf, because of smaller variability in the large meteoric water inputs. Furthermore, the data reveal that sea ice melt (SIM) input was particularly important during July 2014, following a larger extension of sea ice over the Labrador shelf during the 2013/2014 winter season, compared to both previous winter seasons. Some patches of large SIM contribution observed during July 2014 and April 2015 were located on the continental slope or further offshore. The comparison of 2012–2015 data with data collected in 1994–1995 shows that the surface water over the Newfoundland shelf and slope is strongly affected by sea ice processes in both periods and suggests a larger contribution of brines over the slope during 1994–1995.

Dissolved iron in the North Atlantic Ocean and Labrador Sea along the GEOVIDE section (GEOTRACES section GA01)

Dissolved Fe (DFe) samples from the GEOVIDE voyage (GEOTRACES GA01, May–June 2014) in the North Atlantic Ocean were analyzed using a seaFAST-picoTM coupled to an Element XR sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (SF-ICP-MS) and provided interesting insights into the Fe sources in this area. Overall, DFe concentrations ranged from 0.09± 0.01 to 7.8± 0.5 nmol L−1. Elevated DFe concentrations were observed above the Iberian, Greenland, and Newfoundland margins likely due to riverine inputs from the Tagus River, meteoric water inputs, and sedimentary inputs. Deep winter convection occurring the previous winter provided iron-to-nitrate ratios sufficient to sustain phytoplankton growth and lead to relatively elevated DFe concentrations within subsurface waters of the Irminger Sea. Increasing DFe concentrations along the flow path of the Labrador Sea Water were attributed to sedimentary inputs from the Newfoundland Margin. Bottom waters from the Irminger Sea displayed high DFe concentrations likely due to the dissolution of Fe-rich particles in the Denmark Strait Overflow Water and the Polar Intermediate Water. Finally, the nepheloid layers located in the different basins and at the Iberian Margin were found to act as either a source or a sink of DFe depending on the nature of particles, Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. 918 M. Tonnard et al.: Dissolved iron in the North Atlantic Ocean with organic particles likely releasing DFe and Mn particle scavenging DFe.

Composition of freshwater in the spring of 2014 on the southern Labrador shelf and slope

The Labrador Current is an important conduit of freshwater from the Arctic to the interior North Atlantic subpolar gyre. Here we investigate the spatial variability of the freshwater sources over the southern Labrador shelf and slope during May–June 2014. Using measurements of seawater properties such as temperature, salinity, nutrients, and oxygen isotopic composition, we estimate the respective contributions of saline water of Atlantic and Pacific origins, of brines released during sea ice formation, and of freshwater from sea ice melt and meteoric water origins. On the southern Labrador shelf, we find a large brine signal and Pacific water influence indicating a large contribution of water from the Canadian Arctic. The brine signal implies that more than 4 m of sea ice formed upstream, either in the Arctic or in Baffin Bay and the northern Labrador Sea. Over the midshelf and slope at 52°N, we find a stronger influence of slope water from the West Greenland Current with a smaller contribution of Pacific water and no brine signal. Thus, there is advection of water from the slope region to the midshelf between 55°N and 52°N. Very freshwater with high meteoric content is found close to the coast in June 2014. Observations from 1995 and 2008 suggest a higher fraction of brine and Pacific water on the shelf compared to that observed in 2014.

Stable isotopes in the atmospheric marine boundary layer water vapour over the Atlantic Ocean, 2012–2015

The water vapour isotopic composition (1H216O, H218O and 1H2H16O) of the Atlantic marine boundary layer has been measured from 5 research vessels between 2012 and 2015. Using laser spectroscopy analysers, measurements have been carried out continuously on samples collected 10–20 meter above sea level. All the datasets have been carefully calibrated against the international VSMOW-SLAP scale following the same protocol to build a homogeneous dataset covering the Atlantic Ocean between 4°S to 63°N. In addition, standard meteorological variables have been measured continuously, including sea surface temperatures using calibrated Thermo-Salinograph for most cruises. All calibrated observations are provided with 15-minute resolution. We also provide 6-hourly data to allow easier comparisons with simulations from the isotope-enabled Global Circulation Models. In addition, backwards trajectories from the HYSPLIT model are supplied every 6-hours for the position of our measurements.