Calcium carbonate cycling in the Southern Ocean: insights from dissolved calcium and potential alkalinity tracers

• DOI: 10.1002/lol2.10457
• Publication Date: 2025-01-10T11:36:59Z
• Authors: Yaojia Sun; Michael J. Ellwood
• Keywords: Alkalinity; Cycling; Biogeochemical Cycle

Abstract The cycling of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) plays a significant role in deep‐water carbon sequestration and affects the buffer capacity upper ocean for absorbing atmospheric CO 2 . This study investigates dissolved (Ca) potential alkalinity (PA) as tracers CaCO Southern Ocean. correlation between PA Ca concentrations subantarctic polar waters supports their use effective process dissolution precipitation. Estimates particulate inorganic export flux based on concentration reveals substantial contributions Ocean, with higher values waters. These findings highlight value understanding its buffering