Cryosphere + Carbon Cycle

Sea Ice

Ice floating on Ocean

NH Sea Ice

March: Max

Sept: Min

SH Sea Ice

March: Min

Sept: Max

Anomaly

The deviation of a variable from a long term baseline or average, typically a third year mean

Positive Anomaly

Variable is higher than normal

Negative Anomoly

Variable is lower than normal

Glacier

A mass of snow/ice on land that flows under its own weight

• Confined by topography

Accumulation zone

mass gain > mass loss

Ablation zone

mass gain < mass loss

Ice Sheet

A mass of snow/ice on land that flows under its own weight

• Not confined by topography

Sea Ice vs Glaciers/Ice sheets

Sea Ice does not change water levels but glaciers/ice sheets impact sea level rise

Permafrost

Ground that is at or below 0 degrees celsius for two or more years

• Frozen Year Round

Active Layer

• Layer of soil above the permafrost that freezes and thaws seasonally - responds to changes in air temp

What happens to active layer in warmer climates

Active Layer expands

• Release carbon in atmosphere

• Deeper root systems

• Infrastructure collapse

Organic Carbon

Carbon is in C-C bonds or C-H bonds

• Often in or created by organisms

• Reduced bonds (electron - rich) that are weak an unstable

• Release energy when broken

• Ex. Sugars, fats, carbohydrates, coal, methane

Inorganic Carbon

No C-C or C-H bonds

• Often oxidized bonds that are very stable

• Requires energy to break

• Ex. CO2, sedimentary rock

Net Primary Production

rate of accumulation of organic carbon in plants

Net Ecosystem Production (NEP) = ?

NPP - R (Respiratory/decomposition)

NEP +

Carbon sink

NEP -

Carbon source

Residence Time

the average amount of time that a molecule will stay in a given stock/reservoir, given that the stock is in steady state

• Magnitude of stock / inflow or outflow

Air Sea Exchange

balance the difference in concentration between atm and water

Biological Carbon Pump

Movement of organic carbon from the surface of the ocean to the deep ocean/ocean sediments where it can be stored

• If stored = more carbon in atm

Diatoms

Photosynthetic Algae