Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Atlantico SubTropicale'

The transition between the South Atlantic and the Southern Ocean is marked by a frontal system that includes both the South Atlantic Current and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). In the eastern part of the basin the latitudinal position of the fronts that compose this system is thought to control the input of warm waters into the Atlantic basin through the Agulhas Leakage. Changes in the Subtropical and Polar regimes associated with the system that marks the boundary between the Subtropical Gyre and the ACC are investigated using the simulation results of the ocean component of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Earth System Model (CESM), POP2. Sea surface height gradients and specific contours are used to identify and track the ocean fronts position. We compare the Subtropical Front position at the eastern edge of the South Atlantic to changes in temperature and salinity, as well as Agulhas Current transports and the overlying wind field, in order to determine what could be driving frontal variability at this region and its consequences to volume transport from the Indian into the Atlantic. Results suggest that the Subtropical Front is not the southern boundary of the subtropical gyre, but it responds to changes in the \"Supergyre\", especially the Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre expansion.
A transição entre os oceanos Atlântico Sul e Austral é marcada por um sistema frontal que inclui tanto a Corrente do Atlântico Sul quanto a Corrente Circumpolar Antártica (CCA). Na porção oeste da bacia, acredita-se que a posição meridional das frentes que compõem este sistema controla o aporte de águas quentes para o Atlântico pelo Vazamento das Agulhas. Mudanças nos regimes subtropical e polar associadas ao sistema que marca o limite entre o giro subtropical e a CCA são investigadas através dos resultados da componente oceânica do modelo do National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), o Community Earth System Model (CESM). O gradiente meridional, bem como valores específicos de altura da superfície do mar são usados para identificar e acompanhar a posição destas frentes oceânicas. A comparação da posição da Frente Subtropical no limite leste do Atlântico Sul com as mudanças na temperatura e salinidade, assim como no transporte da Corrente das Agulhas e do campo de ventos sobrejacente, é feita para determinar quais as forçantes da variabilidade frontal nesta região e suas consequências no transporte de volume entre o Índico e o Atlântico. Resultados sugerem que a Frente Subtropical não é o limite sul do giro subtropical, mas responde às mudanças no \"Supergiro\", especialmente à expansão do Giro Subtropical do Oceano Índico.

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Biológicas. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal
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O aporte de detritos vegetais alóctones é de suma importância para a dinâmica energética de riachos florestados de cabeceira, influenciando na estruturação das comunidades aquáticas. Padrões de aporte e composição desse material estão diretamente relacionados com o tipo e a integridade da vegetação ripária, e são influenciados pelo clima e geomorfologia local. Poucos estudos sobre o tema têm sido feitos em riachos de Mata Atlântica, e são ainda mais raros em ambiente subtropical. O objetivo da presente dissertação foi avaliar padrões temporais de aporte e composição da matéria orgânica (MO) vegetal alóctone em um riacho de Floresta Ombrófila Densa preservada (capítulo 1), e determinar a influência da composição e biomassa dos detritos foliares do estoque bêntico na estruturação espaço-temporal das comunidades de invertebrados aquáticos associados em riachos com diferentes graus de integridade da vegetação ripária (capítulo 2). Foram realizados experimentos entre agosto de 2010 a agosto de 2011 no riacho Cachoeira Grande (preservado), e até junho de 2011 no riacho Ribeirão Grande (impactado), ambos localizados na mesma bacia, coberta por Floresta Ombrófila Densa subtropical. O experimento de dinâmica da vegetação ripária evidenciou uma participação muito maior do aporte lateral, em detrimento ao vertical, na incorporação direta de MO ao riacho, superando também os valores do aporte terrestre e estoque bêntico. Houve grande variação temporal na quantidade e na composição do detrito vegetal ao longo do ano, influenciada principalmente pela precipitação e padrões fenológicos. As principais espécies na dinâmica da MO do riacho foram Schizolobium parahyba, Ficus eximia, Virola bicuhyba, Ficus adhatodifolia, Cupania vernalis e Tetrorchidium rubrivenium. Para comunidade de invertebrados aquáticos, a riqueza de espécies do detrito, assim como temperatura da água, biomassa de galhos e condutividade foram responsáveis pela variação espacial entre os riachos. A variação temporal na distribuição da comunidade em ambos ocorreu em função da temperatura da água e precipitação, mas apenas para o preservado a quantidade de folhas foi importante. A variação no riacho impactado foi mais pronunciada. Os resultados descrevem um padrão de aporte diferente dos encontrados na literatura, e demonstram a importância da integridade da vegetação ripária no fornecimento de subsídios e estabilidade da comunidade de invertebrados aquáticos em riachos de cabeceira. Assim, se evidencia a importância da integridade das zonas ripárias para os sistemas aquáticos, enfatizando a necessidade de conservação e recuperação dessas áreas.
Input of allochthonous leaf litter is extremely important for energetic dynamics of forested headwater streams, influencing the aquatic communities' structures. Patterns of input and composition of this material are directly related to riparian vegetation type and integrity, and respond to local climate and geomorphology. Little attention to this issue has been paid for Atlantic Forest streams, and studies are even rarer in subtropical environments. The objectives of the present dissertation were to evaluate temporal patterns of input and composition of vegetable allochthonous organic matter (OM) in a preserved Atlantic Rain Forest stream (chapter 1), and determine the influence of benthic leaf litter biomass and composition on aquatic invertebrate communities' temporal-space structure in streams with different riparian vegetation integrity states (chapter 2). Experiments were undertaken between August/2010 and August/2011 for Cachoeira Grande (preserved) stream, and until June/2011 in Ribeirão Grande (impacted) stream, both situated in the same watershed covered by subtropical Atlantic Rain Forest vegetation. Riparian vegetation dynamics experiment showed a higher contribution of lateral input, when compared with vertical input, in direct OM entry into the stream, exceeding values of terrestrial input and benthic stocks. There was a temporal variation in quantity and composition of vegetable litter during the year, controlled mainly by precipitation and phenological factors. The main species of OM dynamics were Schizolobium parahyba, Ficus eximia, Virola bicuhyba, Ficus adhatodifolia, Cupania vernalis e Tetrorchidium rubrivenium. For aquatic invertebrate community, leaf litter species richness, as well as water temperature, branch biomass and conductivity were responsible for spatial variations between the streams. Temporal variation in the distributions of communities of both streams occurred in function of water temperature and precipitation, but just for the preserved one leaf biomass was important. Variation in the impacted stream was more pronounced. The results describe an input pattern distinct from those found in literature, and demonstrate the importance of riparian vegetation integrity on providing subsidies and stability of aquatic invertebrate community in headwater streams. Thus, the importance of riparian zone integrity is shown for aquatic systems, which highlights the necessity for conservation and restoration of these areas.

Subtropical gyres represent the single largest oceanic biome and may be very important for carbon cycling on account of their areal extent, yet our understanding of how these regions operate biologically is lacking. To address this issue measurements of NO3-, NH4+ and urea uptake were made using the 15N technique on 2 Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) cruises between 50oS and 50oN in May-June 2003 (AMT12) and April-June 2004 (AMT14). Distinct vertical profiles in the uptake of each nutrient were evident with urea uptake primarily confined to tropical and subtropical surface waters, NH4+ uptake to surface and intermediate waters and NO3- uptake peaking at depth leading to the observation of deep maxima in NO3- uptake within the subtropical gyres often coincident with the nutricline and with the deep chlorophyll maximum. Comparisons between the two cruises reveal interannual changes including an increase in the uptake rates of all three nutrients during AMT14, particularly NO3- which is driven by an increase in ambient NO3- concentrations. Several other parameters (e.g. chlorophyll, 14C carbon fixation, other nutrients) were also higher during AMT14 compared to AMT12 suggesting gyre scale variation. Estimates of NO3- based new production, obtained via a stoichiometric (Redfield) ratio, for the two cruises reveal relatively consistent rates within the tropics and subtropics within each cruise but higher rates of new production during AMT14. A greater proportion of new production was observed to occur in the lower 15% of the euphotic zone than in the surface layer reflecting the position and influence of the nutricline. A northward increase in new production in the lower regions of the euphotic zone was also observed which is hypothesized to represent a seasonal signal implying a degree of seasonality in the behaviour of the deep chlorophyll maximum and of deep NO3- uptake. The historical AMT database (AMT cruises 1-14) has been used to further examine the deep chlorophyll maximum. The observations of high NO3- uptake at depth, in excess of 14C based productivity nitrogen requirements and new production estimates exceeding total production rates suggests that nitrogen and carbon uptake may be decoupled at depth or that the measured NO3- uptake may not in fact represent new production. Integrated rates of new production were also occasionally found to locally exceed integrated community gross production and community respiration. Comparisons between new production and 234Th export production during AMT14 reveal that the two measurements are not equal, most likely on account of the different time scales of the two techniques, but comparisons with other parameters (carbon fixation, gross and net production and respiration) reveal that none of the parameters produce exact answers although similar patterns and magnitudes of carbon flux can be obtained. This would suggest that local decoupling of all rate processes is likely.

Many general circulation models predict a reduction in overturning strength in the 21st century as a response to anthropogenic forcing, meaning that novel methods of monitoring individual components of the subtropical North Atlantic circulation are required. This observational study outlines efforts to monitor upper ocean transports near the 36°N latitude line and to identify possible forcing mechanisms. Specifically, an optimal interpolation scheme is employed to synthesise annual and seasonal sections of the Atlantic using T/S data from Argo floats and the Line W array from 2002 to 2007. Combining these data with an estimate of the barotropic velocity yields accurate values of the interior geostrophic transport above 1000 dbar. Close to the western boundary, where errors incurred by the scheme are larger, altimetric SSH differences are used to quantify the Gulf Stream transport above 2000 dbar at 10-day resolution. Finally, a detailed analysis of wind stress and wind stress curl fields of the subtropical North Atlantic is used to estimate both the Ekman and Sverdrup transports and to isolate the dominant time and space scales of variability. The mean zonally integrated interior transport above 1000 dbar between the eastern boundary and the Gulf Stream was -48.0 ± 3.3 Sv, where the error represents the standard error of the seasonal baroclinic transport estimates. The size of the variability between seasons was similar to the interannual variability (standard deviations of 6.6 Sv and 7.7 Sv). Most variability at interannual timescales arises from changes in the density structure of the main thermocline west of 40°W. Neither interannual nor seasonal variability in the interior transport correlate with changes in the Sverdrup transport, though the Sverdrup relation does account for the mean upper ocean transport in the eastern basin. Gulf Stream transport across Line W in the period 2002 to 2008 was estimated to be 87.6 (± 0.8 Sv standard error) in the upper 1000 dbar, with a peak transport in late summer. In line with earlier studies, the seasonal cycle of the transport appears to be correlated with local wind stress curl forcing but determining the precise mechanism requires further theoretical and modelling work.

Includes abstract.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-72).
The region surrounding the Tristan da Cunha Archipelago has received little attention to date due to its remote location. An extensive revision of previous literature covers the majority of oceanographic research undertaken in the region of interest. New satellite derived oceanographic data sets and the SODA Reanalysed model are used to overcome the sparse extent of in-situ data in this region. Using latitudinal temperature gradients to track the surface expression of the Subtropical Front from AMSR and OISST satellite derived sea surface temperature data reveals consistencies with previous literature.

Storm-induced open-ocean convective mixing is one of the primary processes controlling the supply of nitrate to the sunlit layer of the oligotrophic North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre (NASG). Yet, the magnitude and timing of nitrate fluxes during winter convection is poorly understood due to an absence of targeted process studies. In the northwest NASG, multiple quasi-Lagrangian studies were conducted during the boreal winters of 2004 and 2005 in an effort to sample strong winter convection. During each of the time-series studies, inventories of vertically fluxed nitrate were quantified approximately every twelve hours using the distribution of helium isotopes ([delta]�He) and nitrate in the water column. This method is known as the Helium Flux Gauge Technique (HFGT). Large variability in surface forcing and density structure of the upper ocean was observed between the two years; however, only winter 2005 experienced convective mixing to depths greater than 150 m. In winter 2004, mild atmospheric conditions coincided with a positive phase in the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), consistent with the dominant regime experienced during the previous decade. On average 36 � 9 mmol m[-2] of fluxed nitrate was inferred by excess �He in the mixed layer of the ocean during the winter 2004 study period. This inventory of physically transported nitrate is attributed to the sampling of waters laterally advected from nearby eddy features. The sampling of multiple water masses is likely due to the inability of the drogue to persistently follow water masses efficiently. Although physical evidence indicates spatial variability within the time-series data, the length scales of convective mixing appear to be greater than those associated with spatial aliasing as a result of drogue performance. This observation provides us with increased confidence that the objectives for the present study are not compromised by spatial variability in the data. In contrast, winter 2005 experienced a negative NAO, strong physical forcing and convective mixing to depths > 250 m. Two convectively modified water masses, most likely resulting from a single storm event, were sampled at different stages of development. These two water masses exhibit large variability in the magnitude of nitrate entrained in the convective layer from the thermocline. An average inventory of 247 � 56 mmol NO₃[-]m[-2] was entrained in the rapidly expanding convective layer of the first water mass in the first few days following the storm approach. In contrast, ongoing entrainment of nitrate was absent from the second water mass, sampled two weeks later when the depth of the surface mixed layer was consistently ~ 300 m. These results indicate that surrounding fluid is entrained into the convective layer when it is actively expanding in the vertical. On the other hand, significant fluid entrainment does not occur at the base of the plume once sinking waters have reached a level of neutral buoyancy. The persistence of elevated nitrate stocks (~ 100 mmol m[-2]) in the convective layer two to three weeks after the inferred injection event, suggests sub-optimal nitrate uptake by resident phytoplankton. Phytoplankton growth was most likely resource limited by light or a micronutrient such as iron. Despite the implied biolimitation, changes in chlorophyll-a, a proxy for phytoplankton biomass, indicate net production within the convective layer. On average, the convective layer was observed to support an inventory of 62 � 6mg chlorophyll-a m[-2], increasing at an average rate of 3.4mg m[-2] d[-1]. This inventory indicates a slow build-up of phytoplankton biomass to near bloom levels, ahead of the main spring bloom that typically follows formation of the seasonal thermocline near Bermuda. Net production in the convective layer was likely due to transient periods of increased (weak) surface stability that were observed to support high phytoplankton biomass, following the cessation of thermocline fluid entrainment. When nitrate and excess �He in samples collected from the thermocline were regressed for the purpose of quantifying nitrate fluxes, the results showed that between 1.6 - 2.0 [mu]mol kg[-1] of dissolved nitrate was present during formation of the water mass. This suggests the source of this excess (above Redfield ratios) nitrate in the thermocline of the NASG is not local, and has ramifications for local nitrogen fixation budgets determined using geochemical approaches. Thesis supervisors: William J. Jenkins, Senior Scientist, WHOI (United States of America); Philip W. Boyd, Senior Scientist, NIWA (New Zealand); Michael W. Lomas, Senior Scientist, BIOS (Bermuda)

Current models suggest that the North Atlantic is a region of high, and increasing, uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (Canth). However, recent studies of carbon transports and related budgets have suggested that, although the region north of 24.5°N is a net sink of CO2, its magnitude has not changed since the onset of the industrial era, implying no uptake of Canth. The accumulation of Canth within the region is instead thought to be due to CO2 uptake south of 24.5°N before advection into the North Atlantic basin in the upper limb of the meridional overturning circulation.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, 1993.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-126).
by Alica María Lavín Montero.
M.S.

Subtropical mode water is a voluminous body of water in the ocean whose main feature is the homogeneity in both vertical structure and horizontal extension. The subtropical mode water (STMW) of the southwest Atlantic is formed between the months of July and October near the Brazil-Malvinas confluence and along the Brazil Current recirculation gyre. The formation region extends on the order of 3000 km zonally, from 20°W to 50°W, and 1000 km meridionally, from 30°S to 40°S, and it is typically about 170 m thick. In situ data from pressure-equipped inverted echo sounders (PIES) installed in the western portion of the basin, along 34.5°S, are available from 2009 to the present. These data after processed and calibrated can provide an unprecedented description of the STMW involving processes since its formation at the surface until the final stage of its residence in the interior of the ocean. Temperature and salinity data estimated by the PIES are based on empirical look-up tables that relate the acoustic travel time with the baroclinic structure of the ocean. This technique is known as the Gravest Empirical Mode (GEM), and here it is used to detect profiles containing homogeneous segments of temperature and salinity that characterize the mode water. The GEM method was seasonally corrected to reconstruct surface variability necessary for STMW formation. The interannual covariance between STMW layer thickness and the Brazil Current was calculated, but no significant correlation at that time scale was observed. The mode water layer detected was about 220 m ± 55 m thick on all sites, agreeing with previous studies.
A água modal subtropical é um grande volume de água no oceano cuja característica principal é a homogeneidade nas estruturas vertical e horizontal. A água modal subtropical do sudoeste do Atlântico é formada entre os meses de julho e outubro perto da confluência Brasil-Malvinas e ao longo da recirculação da Corrente do Brasil. A região de formação se estende na ordem de 3000 km zonalmente, de 20°W a 50°W e 1000 km meridionalmente, de 30°S a 40°S, e tipicamente tem cerca de 170 m de espessura. Dados in situ de ecossondas invertidas com sensor de pressão (PIES) instaladas na porção ocidental da bacia, ao longo de 34,5°S, estão disponíveis a partir de 2009 até o presente. Estes dados após o processamento e calibração podem fornecer uma descrição sem precedentes da Água Modal Subtropical do Atlântico Sul envolvendo processos desde sua formação na superfície até o estágio final de sua permanência no interior do oceano. Os dados de temperatura e salinidade estimados pelos PIES são baseados em tabelas de referência (look-up tables) que relacionam o tempo de retorno do sinal acústico com a estrutura baroclínica do oceano. Esta técnica é conhecida como o Gravest Empirical Mode (GEM),e aqui é usado para detectar perfis contendo segmentos homogêneos de temperatura e salinidade que caracterizam a água modal. Foi aplicada uma correção sazonal ao método GEM para reconstruir a variabilidade da superfície necessária para a formação STMW. A covariância interanual entre a espessura da camada STMW e a corrente do Brasil foi calculada, mas não foi observada correlação significativa naquela escala de tempo. A camada de água em modo detectada foi de cerca de 220 m ± 55 m de espessura em todos os sites, concordando com estudos prévios.

Observations of interannual variability in 18 Water (Talley and Raymer 1982) and Gulf Stream transport (Worthington 1977) motivate an ocean model sensitivity study. The North Atlantic circulation is simulated with a three-dimensional isopycniccoordinate GCM. Idealized anomalous buoyancy-forcing fields (associated with outbreaks of cold, dry continental air over the Gulf Stream/Sargasso Sea region) are constructed. In a series of sensitivity experiments, wintertime buoyancy loss over the Gulf Stream and Sargasso Sea is thus increased to varying degrees, with anomalous ocean-to-atmosphere buoyancy fluxes of up to double climatological values. Under excess buoyancy loss, winter mixed layer depths increase, and a greater volume of model 18 Water is formed. End-of-winter mixed layer density also increases, leading to the formation of a denser variety of 18 Water. The anomalous 18 Water recirculates around the Sargasso Sea as a signal of low potential vorticity, which spreads out and weakens on a decadal timescale. Strengthened horizontal pressure gradients in the vicinity of the anomalous 18 Water drive intensified baroclinic transports at the "immediate" end of winter (in March), after which a full-depth barotropic intensification of the Gulf Stream develops. Strongest intensification occurs in May, when the Gulf Stream barotropic transport is increased locally by up to 10 Sv. The anomalous transports which account for barotropic intensification are confined to deep and abyssal layers of the model. Where the associated anomalous bottom currents traverse isobaths, "extra" bottom pressure torque (BPT) is invoked. An anomalous BPT term in the barotropic vorticity balance may therefore account for the intensification. Computed from the model fields of density and sea surface height, such a term does appear to produce the extra negative vorticity associated with anticyclogenic intensification. It is concluded that wintertime excess buoyancy loss drives a springtime barotropic response of the subtropical gyre, through BPT, due to "JEBAR" (the Joint Effect of Baroclinicity And Relief). The Gulf Stream intensification decreases after May as lateral eddy mixing weakens anomalous cross-stream pressure gradients. This eddy mixing is parameterized in the model by a layer thickness diffusion velocity, ud, nominally chosen to be 1.0 cm s'1. Further experiments establish the sensitivity of intensification strength to the choice of ud. With ud = 0.1 cm s"1 (weak thickness diffusion), the intensification is increased by ~50%, while, for ud - 10 cm s"1 (strong thickness diffusion), the intensification is roughly halved. These further sensitivity experiments also reveal the varying degrees to which the model subtropical gyre can be dominated by diffusive eddy mixing (Rhines and Young 1982a, 1982b) or adiabatic (nondiffusive) ventilation of the thermocline (Luyten, Pedlosky and Stommel 1983). Recent (1980-97) interannual variability in the formation and recirculation of 18 Water, and other water masses, is deduced from observed surface heat and freshwater fluxes. Interannual variations in the strength of 18 Water renewal (thus deduced) and a wintertime index of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) are found to be strongly anticorrelated (with a correlation coefficient of -0.70, statistically significant at a 99% confidence level). A further sensitivity experiment establishes that anomalous wind forcing, characteristic of a minimum phase in the NAO, does not intensify the Gulf Stream in the manner of excess cooling. It is concluded that 18 Water is more strongly renewed, with accompanying Gulf Stream intensification, under NAO-minimum buoyancy forcing.

The response of phytoplankton to various ecological forcings was examined in the upper waters of the NW Mediterranean (MED) and the subtropical North Atlantic (NA) from field observations, analysis of historical data sets and numerical simulations. Particular emphasis was given to the role played by the water column structure in controlling the nitrogen diffusion and new production. Using numerical simulations, the effects of different levels of heating of surface waters and nutrient concentrations in waters below the euphotic zone were examined.
Spring microplankton metabolism of surface mixed waters in MED was studied. The system was heterotrophic explained by dark community respiration (DCR) rates higher than gross primary production (GPP) rates. The GPP to DCR ratio was ~0.53, indicating that the system was far from balance between carbon production (photosynthesis) and consumption (respiration), probably caused by organic matter accumulation in the mixed layer favouring respiration over production processes.
Summer primary production and nitrogen fluxes in stratified water layers in NA were analysed. The nitrogen flux fuelling new primary production was closely linked to vertical turbulent diffusion at the nitracline rather than at the thermocline. Upward diffused nitrogen inducing new production explaining 21% of total primary production. The vertical turbulent diffusion model used to estimate new production did not explain new production in the Canary Current zone, where laterally advected nutrients from coastal upwelling areas altered the vertical nitrate gradients.
A numerical ecological model of the pelagic domain was developed to assess the plankton response to different environmental pressures. The model represents the vertical dimension of the upper and intermediate water layers of the open ocean. A comparative study of the plankton functioning in MED and NA sites was carried out using the model. The nitrate entering the euphotic zone through the lower boundary explained the low but continuous primary production in the two systems. The latitudinal variability of plankton scenarios implied a year round different solar heating of the upper waters, altering both phytoplankton photosynthesis and mixed layer processes in the water column, with the latter dominating over the former in controlling the phytoplankton biomass. The balance of light availability and nutrient concentration controlled the chlorophyll maximum depth, but the zooplankton grazing prevented this maximum to reach greater concentrations. The model structure and functioning makes it suitable for comparative ecological studies and is expected to be applicable to other studies related to coastal and marine environmental issues.

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition to the ocean has more than doubled in the past 150 years due to anthropogenic activity, reaching levels comparable with nitrogen fixation in the subtropical North Atlantic. Previous studies have suggested that atmospherically deposited N may increase export production, decrease surface water phosphate levels, and substantially impact geochemical estimates of nitrogen fixation. This dissertation reports on the magnitude and biogeochemical fate of soluble N and P deposition in the subtropical North Atlantic. Aerosol and wet deposition time-series samples were used to determine the fluxes, sources, and N:P ratios of atmospheric nutrient deposition. Based on the magnitudes of total soluble N and P deposition, atmospheric nutrients are estimated to supply ~10-50% of allochthonous N to the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. Samples gathered in Barbados, the Canary Islands, and Miami indicate that atmospheric N sources are primarily anthropogenic (and thus, increasing) and that P sources are primarily natural (and thus relatively steady). Because inorganic nutrient concentrations in surface waters are in the low nM range, increasing P stress in surface waters may occur as a result of increasing N deposition. This assessment is supported by modeling studies, which also indicate that deposition would enhance surface P depletion. Inorganic N contributes nearly all (85-87%) of atmospherically deposited soluble N; the majority (~60%) of the remaining soluble organic N is comprised of an incompletely characterized pool of volatile basic organic N. Water soluble organic P contributes ~20-50% of soluble P. Because organic P contributes a relatively higher portion of soluble P as compared to organic N, the inclusion of organic matter in deposition estimates could both enhance the expected level of export production and reduce the predicted levels of P stress induced by atmospheric deposition. Further modeling studies indicate that the fate of atmospheric nutrients in the subtropical North Atlantic is controlled by non-Redfieldian processes, and that atmospheric nutrients eventually accumulate in the main thermocline. The research presented here suggests that future increases in atmospheric N emissions could have long-term impacts on surface ocean biology and nutrient cycles in the subtropical North Atlantic.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2002.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 169-187).
The marine geochemistry of the North Atlantic Ocean varies on decadal to centennial time scales, a consequence of natural and anthropogenic forcing. Surface corals provide a useful geochemical archive to quantify past mixed layer variability, and this study presents elemental and isotopic records from the tropical and subtropical North Atlantic. A consistent method for stable lead isotope analysis via multiple collector ICP-MS is first presented. This method is then applied to western North Atlantic surface corals and seawater, constraining historical elemental and isotopic lead variability. Six stable lead isotope profiles are developed from the western and eastern North Atlantic, demonstrating consistent mixed layer, thermocline, and deep water variability. Finally, coralline trace element records, including cadmium, barium, and lead, are presented from the Cariaco Basin. First, a reliable method is developed for stable lead isotope analysis by multiple collector ICP-MS. This study presents new observations of the large (0.7% amu-l), time-dependent mass fractionation determined by thallium normalization, including preferential light ion transmission induced by the acceleration potential and nebulizer conditions. These experiments show equivalent results for three empirical correction laws, and the previously proposed [beta]Pb/[beta]TI correction does not improve isotope ratio accuracy under these conditions. External secondary normalization to SRM-981 provides one simple alternative, and a rationale is provided for this correction. With current intensities less than 1.5x10-12 A, external isotope ratio precision less than 200 ppm is observed (2[sigma]). Matrix effects are significant with concomitant calcium in SRM-981 (-280 ppm at 257 [mu]M [Ca]).
(cont.) With the appropriate corrections and minimal concomitants, MC-ICP-MS can reliably determine 206Pb/207Pb and 208Pb/207Pb ratios of marine carbonates and seawater. Anthropogenic lead represents a promising transient oceanographic tracer, and its historical isotopic and elemental North Atlantic variability have been documented by proxy reconstructions and seawater observations. Two high-resolution surface coral and seawater time series from the western North Atlantic are presented, demonstrating past variability consistent with upper ocean observations. The elemental reconstruction suggests the primary lead transient was advected to the western North Atlantic from 1955 to 1968, with an inferred maximum lead concentration of 205 pmol kg-1 in 1971. The mean 1999 North Atlantic seawater concentration (38 pmol kg-1) is equivalent to 1905, several decades prior to the initial consumption of leaded gasoline in the United States. A 206Pb/207Pb transient from 1968 to 1990 is also observed, lagging the elemental transient by ten years. The provenance of this isotopic record is distinct from Arctic and European ice core observations and supports a 40% ...
by Matthew K. Reuer.
Ph.D.

In the first part of this thesis an overview is given of methods available for the analysis of nanomolar nitrate and phosphate in seawater before going on to describe in more detail a system built in our laboratory comprising liquid waveguide capillary cells connected to a conventional segmented-flow autoanalyser. This approach is suitable for routine field measurements of nitrate and phosphate and achieves detection limits of < 1 nM phosphate and nitrate. Investigations were conducted into interferences of silicate and arsenate with the analysis of nanomolar concentrations of SRP, the effect of sample filtration on the measurement of nanomolar nitrate + nitrite and SRP concentrations, and the stability of samples during storage are described. Arsenate interference scaled linearly with phosphate concentrations of up to 50 nM, resulting in an overestimation of SRP concentrations of 4.6 ± 1.4% for an assumed arsenate concentration of 20 nM. The interference effect of added Si(OH)4 on the measured SRP signal is small at the dissolved silicon concentrations typically found in oligotrophic waters. Filtration of surface seawater samples resulted in a decrease in concentration of 1.7 – 2.7 nM (±0.5 nM) SRP, and a small decrease in nitrate concentrations which was within the precision of the method (±0.6 nM). A stability study indicated that storage of very low concentration nutrient samples in the dark at 4°C for less than 24 h resulted in no statistically significant changes in nutrient concentrations. The second half of this thesis presents a dataset from aerosols collected at the Cape Verde Atmospheric Observatory (CVAO) between July 2007 and July 2008 and collected during a research cruise in the (sub-) tropical North Atlantic Ocean in January 2008. Total acid digestion followed by ICP-MS analysis reveals that the total elemental composition of the dust is close to average crustal composition and shows a high degree of consistency. Based on elemental composition data alone, dust collected on the cruise appears similar to dust collected at the CVAO. Zn and Pb are elevated above crustal values indicating an anthropogenic source, but show an association with periods of high mineral dust concentration. Ultrapure water leaches of dust samples combined with analysis for nutrients and trace metals show a picture of atmospheric concentrations of soluble trace metals and nutrients throughout the year in the study region. Estimated dry deposition fluxes for Fe, and inorganic N and P show a marked difference between summer and winter, with higher Fe and P deposition during winter when mineral dust concentrations are at their greatest, while N inputs are more constant throughout the year. Relative to Redfield ratios, atmospheric inputs are greatly enriched in Fe relative to N and P.

Through analysis of large-scale ocean gyre dynamics from simulation results of the ocean component of the Community Earth System Model version 1 - the Parallel Ocean Program version 2 (CESM1-POP2) - this study builds upon existing research suggesting recent changes in the circulation of global subtropical gyres with respect to the South Atlantic Ocean. Results all point to an increase in the total counterclockwise circulation and a southward displacement of the sub- tropical gyre system. The northern boundary of the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre (SASG) is represented by the bifurcation of the southern branch of the South Equatorial Current (sSEC) into the North Brazil Undercurrent/Current (NBUC/NBC) to the north and the Brazil Current (BC) to the south. The sSEC Bifurcation Latitude (SBL) dictates the partition between waters flowing poleward and those flowing equatorward. Although a northward migration of the SBL would be expected with the gyre spin up and associated poleward transport increase, the SBL migrates southwards at a rate of 0.051o/yr, in conjunction to a substantial increase in the equatorward advection of waters within the sSEC-SBL-NBUC system, which is included in the upper-branch of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation.
Através de análises da dinâmica de grande-escala do giro oceânico, proveniente dos resultados de simulação da componente oceânica do Community Earth System Model versão 1 - o Parallel Ocean Program versão 2 (CESM1-POP2) - este estudo se baseia em estudos prévios sugerindo mudanças recentes na circulação dos giros subtropicais globais, com respeito ao oceano Atlântico Sul. Os resultados apontam para uma intensificação da circulação anti-horária e um deslocamento para sul de todo o sistema do giro subtropical. A borda norte do Giro Subtropical do Atlântico Sul (GSAS) é representada pela bifurcação do ramo sul da Corrente Sul Equatorial (CSEs) em Subcorrente/Corrente Norte do Brasil (SCNB/CNB) para norte e Corrente do Brasil (CB) para sul. A Latitude da Bifurcação da CSEs (LBC) determina a partição entre as águas fluindo em direção ao pólo e aquelas fluindo em direção ao equador. Embora seja esperada uma migração para norte da LBC com a aceleração da circulação do giro e consequente aumento do transporte em direção ao pólo, a LBC migra para sul a uma taxa de 0.051o/ano. Esta migração ocorre em conjunto à um aumento substancial na advecção de águas em direção ao equador com o sistema CSEs-LBC-SCNB, o qual está incluso no ramo superior da Circulação de Revolvimento Meridional do Atlântico.

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) has a central role in the interhemispheric transport of heat and changes in its intensity are known to have profound impact on global climate. Disturbances in the AMOC are also supposedly associated with the past changes in marine productivity and oceanic uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which contributed to the global climate changes that led to the termination of the last glacial cycle. Although the South Atlantic Ocean constitutes an important pathway for the return flow of the AMOC, the changing impacts of the AMOC especially in the subtropical western South Atlantic still remain elusive. In this study, high-resolution records of upper water column properties and productivity have been applied to reconstruct the evolution of oceanographic conditions in the subtropical western South Atlantic covering the last 40,000 years. The proxy records employed here are based both on faunal assemblages and on the stable oxygen isotopic composition of planktonic foraminifera from a marine sediment core collected off southern Brazilian continental margin (27°S). The main findings of the present study reveal, for the first time, enhanced primary productivity in the subtropical western South Atlantic during Heinrich Stadials along the last glacial, when the AMOC showed reduced strength. Additionally, this study reveals decreased primary productivity over the Last Glacial Maximum and the Younger Dryas, when the AMOC showed only moderate reductions. The most outstanding productivity decline is depicted after the Holocene inception, when the AMOC recovered its strength. Further, the findings of the present work also reveal that rather overall glacial-like conditions prevailed at the onset of the Holocene, before complete reinvigoration of the AMOC. Full interglacial configuration would only establish at approximately 9,000 years, when the AMOC fully recovered; although such interglacial setting would be abruptly interrupted during the Mid Holocene, accompanying a sudden reduction of the AMOC. Those findings suggest that the impact of the AMOC on the subtropical western South Atlantic would have played a critical role not only over the last glacial, but also throughout the glacial-interglacial transition and even under full interglacial conditions. The main hypothesis of this research is that the observed changes were triggered by the dynamics of the Brazil Current primarily driven by disturbances in the AMOC.
A célula de revolvimento meridional do Atlântico (AMOC) desempenha um papel central no transporte inter-hemisférico de calor e mudanças em sua intensidade têm profundo impacto sobre o clima global. Distúrbios na AMOC supostamente também estariam associados a alterações pretéritas na produtividade marinha e absorção oceânica de dióxido de carbono atmosférico, que contribuíram para mudanças no clima global e levaram à terminação do último ciclo glacial. Embora o Atlântico Sul constitua importante rota para o fluxo de retorno da AMOC, impactos de alterações na AMOC especialmente na porção subtropical do Atlântico Sudoeste ainda permanecem elusivos. Neste estudo, registros de alta resolução de propriedades da camada superior da coluna de água e de produtividade foram utilizados para reconstruir a evolução de condições oceanográficas na porção subtropical do Atlântico Sudoeste ao longo dos últimos 40,000 anos. Os indicadores empregados se baseiam na composição de assembleias faunísticas e de isótopos estáveis de oxigênio em foraminíferos planctônicos de testemunho sedimentar marinho coletado na margem continental sul do Brasil (27°S). Os principais resultados deste estudo revelam, pela primeira vez, aumento de produtividade primária na porção subtropical do Atlântico Sudoeste durante Heinrich Stadials ao longo do último glacial, quando a AMOC apresentou reduzida intensidade. Adicionalmente, o presente estudo revela diminuição de produtividade primária durante o Último Máximo Glacial e Younger Dryas, quando a AMOC apresentou apenas moderada redução. O declínio de produtividade mais proeminente é observado após o início do Holoceno, quando a AMOC recuperou sua intensidade. Os resultados do presente trabalho também revelam que, de modo geral, condições similares ao glacial prevaleceram no princípio do Holoceno, antes de completa retomada da AMOC. Plenas condições interglaciais apenas teriam se estabelecido há cerca de 9,000 anos, quando a AMOC foi completamente revigorada; embora plena configuração interglacial tenha sido abruptamente interrompida em meados do Holoceno, acompanhando repentina redução da AMOC. Estes resultados sugerem que o impacto da AMOC na porção subtropical do Atlântico Sudoeste teria desempenhado um papel crítico não apenas durante o último glacial, mas também ao longo da transição glacial-interglacial e mesmo sob plenas condições interglaciais. A principal hipótese deste estudo é de que as mudanças observadas foram ocasionadas por dinâmicas da Corrente do Brasil primariamente induzidas por distúrbios na AMOC.

Os estudos sobre a ecologia de ovos e larvas de peixes em áreas costeiras desempenham um papel relevante para o entendimento da biologia das espécies, visto que essa fase de desenvolvimento é o mais crítico do seu ciclo de vida. Este trabalho tem como objetivo principal descrever a variação temporal da comunidade ictioplanctônica em estação fixa localizada em Ubatuba-SP (23º 36,79’ S; 44º 53,46’ W), e analisar sua relação com a hidrografia local, entre fevereiro/2014 e fevereiro/2015. Para o melhor entendimento da área de estudo foi realizado: análise de percentuais de massa de água, composição, densidade, distribuição temporal das larvas de peixes e uma análise multivariada de componentes principais (ACP). Os principais resultados mostram a alta influência da Água Costeira (≥ 50%) nos primeiros 10 m de profundidade em todos os meses de coleta. A Água Tropical não foi identificada com altos percentuais (≥ 50%), com exceção de junho e julho . A Água Central do Atlântico Sul (ACAS) comparece com altos percentuais (≥ 50%) em fevereiro, outubro, novembro e dezembro/2014. A concentração média de Clorofila a, nas campanhas com alta influência da ACAS, foi de 1,98±1,25 mg m-3 e, nas campanhas com baixa influência da ACAS, foi de 1,04±0,71 mg m-3. A biomassa total do zooplâncton foi maior na rede de malha 50 μm e menor na de 200 μm. Foram coletadas 2.446 larvas de peixes, sendo que 1.906 foram identificadas em 17 ordens, 25 famílias, 23 gêneros e 26 espécies. Paralichthyidae e Sciaenidae tiveram frequência de ocorrência (FO) superior a 80% e densidade superior a 40 larvas 100 m-3; a FO de Ophidiidae e Carangidae foi de 58 e 67%, respetivamente. A análise de PCA evidenciou a formação de três grupos de espécies, cuja densidade e frequência de ocorrência variam no decorrer do ano, especialmente em função da maior ou menor influência da ACAS.
Studies on the ecology of fish eggs and larvae in coastal regions are important to understand the biology of species, since this developmental stage is the most critical in its life cycle. This study aims to describe the temporal variation of ichthyoplankton community in a fixed sampling station at Ubatuba-SP (23º 36.79’ S; 44º 53.46’ W), and to evaluate its relation with the local hydrographical regime along a year, February/2014 to February/2015. To better understand the study area, we performed: an analysis of water masse percentages, composition, density and temporal distribution of larval fishes and a principal component analysis (PCA). The main results show the high influence of Coastal Water (≥50%) in the first 10 m depth on all sampling months. The Tropical Water was not recognized with high percentages (≥50%), with exception on June and July. ACAS occurs with high percentages (≥50%) on February, October, November and December /2014. Chlorophyll-a was 1.98±1.25 mg m-3, in campaigns with high ACAS influence, while under low ACAS influence the average chlorophyll-a was 1.04±0.71 mg m-3. Total biomass was highest for 50μm zooplankton and lowest for 200μm ones. A total of 2,446 larvae were collected and 1,906 were identified, totaling 17 orders, 25 families, 23 genera and 26 species. Occurrence frequency of Paralichthyidae and Sciaenidae was superior than 80% and density higher than 40 larvae 100 m-3. For Ophidiidae and Carangidae, occurrence frequency was 58 and 67%, respectively. According the PCA, three groups of species were formed, whose occurrence frequence and density vary during the year, especially in light of the greater or lesser influence of the ACAS.

A suite of deep-marine sediment cores recovered from the Blake Outer Ridge (BOR) in the subtropical North West Atlantic (28-34 N, 75-71 W) provide material for centennial to millennial scale investigations of abyssal circulation and surface ocean conditions during selected intervals in the last 130 kyr. Particular focus is placed on reconstructing the position and strength of the Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) at a high temporal resolution. Palaeocurrent dynamics are reconstructed using the 'sortable silt" (10-63 urn terrigeneous fraction) mean grain size sedimentological proxy. Paired Mg/Ca and 8 () records from the planktonic foraminifera G. ruber (white) are used to reconstruct deglacial sea surface temperature (SSI) and salinity variations, while benthic 513C data from Cibicidoides spp. document the interchange of northern- and southern source deepwater (NSW/SSW) in the subtropical Atlantic. Comparison of Holocene sediments with modern physical hydrographic measurements reveals a DWBC high velocity core between 3,000-4,000 m water depth. A deep position for the DWBC core below 3,500 m was also observed during the peak of the last interglaciation, marine isotope stage (MIS) 5e. The benthic 5I3C during these interglacial intervals reveals little chemical stratification and a water column dominated by NSW. A shallow Labrador Sea Water (LSW)-sourced secondary fast flowing DWBC core is also apparent during the Holocene, however during MIS 5e palaeocurrent data at intermediate depths suggest a weaker and possibly shallower position for the LSW-sourced secondary DWBC limb. The last glacial maximum and Younger Dryas reconstructions show similar hydrographic regimes with nutrient-depleted, vigorously flowing NSW above 2,500 m consistent with intermediate water formation. Northern sourced intermediate water was first apparent in the records presented at 111 kyr BP and is suggested to have persisted throughout the last glacial. Benthic 5I3C data suggest the presence of a highly stratified water column with an increasing influence of SSW with depth. Coupled suborbital oscillations in DWBC flow variability and palaeo-hydrography persist throughout the records. There is evidence for a broad-scale divergence in flow speed changes in the deep subtropical North Atlantic, with the presence of a vigorous, but poorly ventilated SSW mass below 4,200 m water depth during cold episodes of the last deglaciation and LGM, when shallower palaeocurrent and geochemical data suggest that NSW was suppressed. This is consistent with the operation of a bipolar see-saw effect. This study suggests a hitherto unrecognised degree of linkage between oscillations in subtropical North Atlantic SST and DWBC flow. During the last deglaciation the SST record is dominated by the position/strength of the Gulf Stream, while the effects of tropical heat retention are restricted prior to Heinrich event 1. A combination of meridional overturning strength, meltwater inputs and hydrological changes control salinity variability.

This thesis is centered on the application of the Normalized Biomass Size Spectra (NBSS) theory to the study of plankton systems in shelf and oceanic areas of the tropical and subtropical Southwest Atlantic. I evaluated NBSS parameters over different environmental settings and their utility as proxies for system in Brazilian waters. The LOPC and the ZooScan are recently developed optical systems to automatically detect and measure plankton and particle size distributions in situ and in laboratory, respectively. I present two case studies: the first deals with the spatial variability over the Abrolhos Bank and adjacent oceanic areas in tropical latitudes, and the second focuses on temporal variability of plankton communities along a 5-year time series on a fixed station on the inner shelf at a subtropical location (Ubatuba, São Paulo). The data sets consisted of vertical profiles obtained with a LOPC and plankton preserved samples collected with a 200-m-mesh net. I observed in both data sets the accumulation of small particles (< 1 mm) above and within the pycnocline. NBSS slopes and intercepts were significantly different according to the contrasting environmental conditions observed in both areas; higher intercepts and steeper slopes were associated with higher productivity. The results highlight: i) water-column stratification as a key feature driving particle and plankton vertical distribution, ii) NBSS parameters as indicators of different environmental settings, and iii) that the cold and nutrient-rich South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) have an important role structuring the zooplankton size distributions over the Abrolhos Bank and vicinities and off Ubatuba. The NBSS parameters associated with information on plankton composition and distributions provided important information to evaluate the influence of oceanographic forcing on plankton dynamics in distinct ecosystems of the Southwest Atlantic
O tema central desta tese é a aplicação da teoria do espectro de biomassa normalizado (NBSS, em inglês) no estudo de sistemas planctônicos em áreas costeiras e oceânicas, no Atlântico Sudoeste tropical e subtropical. Eu avaliei os parâmetros do NBSS em diferentes situações ambientais na Plataforma Continental Brasileira e a utilidade desses índices para inferir sobre produtividade. O LOPC e o ZooScan são sistemas ópticos recentemente desenvolvidos para detectar e mensurar a distribuição de tamanhos de partículas e zooplâncton in situ e em laboratório, respectivamente. Eu apresento dois estudos de caso: o primeiro lida com a variabilidade espacial sobre o banco de Abrolhos e áreas adjacentes oceânicas em latitudes tropicais, enquanto o segundo enfatiza a variabilidade temporal de comunidades planctônicas ao longo de 5 anos numa estação fixa na plataforma interna em uma localidade subtropical (Ubatuba, SP). O conjunto de dados consistiu de perfis verticais obtidos com o LOPC e com rede de plâncton, malha de 200-m. Eu observei o acúmulo de partículas < 1 mm na picnoclina e acima desta de forma consistente. Ambos inclinação e intercepto das retas ajustadas ao NBSS responderam à condições ambientais contrastantes em ambas as áreas; associamos interceptos maiores e inclinações mais negativas com maior produtividade do plâncton. Os principais resultados indicam: i) que a estratificação é um fator chave na distribuição vertical de partículas e do plâncton, ii) os parâmetros do NBSS como indicadores de diferentes condições ambientais e iii) que a Água Central do Atlântico Sul (ACAS, fria e rica em nutrientes) tem um importante papel na estruturação da distribuição de tamanhos acima do Banco de Abrolhos e proximidades e ao largo de Ubatuba. Os parâmetros do NBSS, associados com informações sobre a composição taxonômica e distribuição do plâncton foram importantes para avaliar a influência de feições oceanográficas sobre a dinâmica do mesozooplâncton em diferentes ecossistemas no Atlântico Sudoeste

The investigation of the role of basin-scale forcing on the circulation of the Faroe-Shetland Channel (FSC) is important to further understanding of the inter-annual variability of the Atlantic water (AW) fluxes in this region. The FSC plays a key role in the transfer of warm and saline AW towards the Nordic Seas that is an integral part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation which is projected to decline over the twenty-first century and might reduce the oceanic heat and salt transports towards the Arctic. So far little attention has been paid to the mechanisms driving the AW fluxes in the FSC, reliable estimates of AW temperature and salt transports time series are lacking. This study presents a new time series of the AW fluxes based on the combination of hydrography and altimetry data. The mechanisms involved in driving the variability of AW fluxes are considered based on observational data and the output from a high-resolution ocean model (VIKING20). The hydrographic observations from 1993 to 2015 show an increase in temperature and salinity of AW. However, there is no evidence of trends in AW volume, temperature or salt transports during the observed period. This analysis confirms that the amount of heat and salt transported through the FSC is dominated by the volume transport. Moreover, this study identifies a bias in the standard deviation of the geostrophic velocity at a depth associated with referencing the geostrophic calculations to the sea surface geostrophic velocity from satellite altimetry. This finding does not strongly influence the AW volume transports in the AW layer, however, it has important implications for estimates of the geostrophic volume transport at depth. This study shows that the Ekman driven up/downwelling and the differential Ekman pumping mechanisms driven by the local wind forcing may influence sea surface height (SSH) and the displacement of isopycnals in the channel, leading to AW volume transport variabilit However, due to the large associated error bars on the surface and subsurface parameters, there is no clear evidence that these mechanisms are significantly responsible for the AW volume transport variability in the FSC. Lagrangian trajectories show evidence of two pathways from the North Atlantic to the FSC that may explain AW variability in the FSC: one pathway involves the flow of warm and saline waters from the Rockall Trough that corresponds to high temperatures and low AW volume transport in the channel, and the other pathway involves the flow of relatively cooler and less saline waters from the Iceland Basin that is linked to low temperatures and stronger volume transport in the FSC. Moreover, we show that the first (second) pathway is associated with the negative (positive) phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the ocean gyre contraction (expansion). The changes of the NAO index phases explain 26 % of the AW volume transport variance in the FSC. Another important mechanism that leads to stronger (weaker) AW volume transport is stronger (weaker) pressure gradient across the Greenland-Scotland Ridge, reflected by the SSH changes. This mechanism explains 29 % of AW volume transport variance in the FSC.

As global temperatures rise due to anthropogenic climate change, water resources, thus economies, are threatened. A geologically recent period of increased temperatures is the mid-Holocene and an investigation of its climate may allow for a better understanding of future precipitation and changes to regional water resources. The regions of interest are tropical Northern Central America and subtropical North America with Belize and Florida representing each climate zone. By reconstructing mid-Holocene climate in Florida and Belize, I hope to provide a better understanding of how increased temperatures and a reduced latitudinal temperature gradient impacts both precipitation patterns and variability. Today, drivers of changes in precipitation include climate systems such as the Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Therefore, it is imperative to determine their latitudinal influences during the mid-Holocene and consequently their potential impact on water resources in the near future. Speleothems from Chen Ha Cave, Vaca Plateau, Belize and Brown's Cave, West Central Florida, provided high-resolution (sub-annual to decadal) oxygen and carbon stable isotope data that allowed for a detailed investigation of mid-Holocene climate. The speleothems were sampled along the growth axis of a cross-section for oxygen and carbon isotopic analysis. 234U-230Th dating was used to create a chronology for each record and determine the time step between each isotope sample. Time series analysis with variations of Fourier transforms, including Lomb-Scargle, wavelet analysis, and multi-taper method, was used to extract periodicities for each oxygen isotope record. To determine which atmospheric-oceanic modes influenced mid-Holocene precipitation, the speleothem periodicities were compared to those of known periodicities of atmospheric-oceanic modes, such as the AMV and NAO. Finally, the Florida and Belize records were assessed for coherency using cross wavelet analysis. The Floridian speleothem recorded less precipitation compared to present levels due to a westward expansion and intensification of the North Atlantic Subtropical High (NASH) with a quasi-persistent but less influential AMV. Relative to today, the mid-Holocene in Belize was slightly wetter which I suggest is a result of a more northerly ITCZ and an intensification of the NASH that increased the strength of the Caribbean Lower Level Jet (CLLJ). The Seuss solar cycle was also significant in Belize, contributing 7.2% of the precipitation variability. Wavelet coherency assessment reveal very little connectivity between the Florida and Belize speleothem reconstructions, potentially due to the blocking influence of the ITCZ. Comparison to other records from the mid-Holocene supports the hypothesis of an intensified NASH and more northerly ITCZ. A future increase in precipitation in Belize may lead to increased soil erosion, the need for crop adaptation, and risk to the population of low lying areas, such as Belize City. In Florida, reduced precipitation may result in a decrease in agricultural output and threats to the state's freshwater supply.

Orientador: Woodruff Whitman Benson
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia
Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-19T11:22:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sobral-Souza_Thadeu_M.pdf: 2228457 bytes, checksum: 1bafa7e233e5df09e117aab4299abb4c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011
Resumo: A ecologia de populações busca entender a variação na abundância das espécies no tempo e no espaço. Espécies que possuem ciclos de vida de curta duração, como a maior parte dos insetos, se tornam especialmente convenientes para essa finalidade. Este estudo examinou os padrões de abundância durante o ano 2009 de uma borboleta tropical próximo ao limite de sua distribuição geográfica, no sudeste do Brasil, em uma localidade subtropical. Neste trabalho, Heliconius sara apseudes foi estudada ao longo de uma estrada no Vale do Rio Quilombo, próximo à cidade de Santos, SP, Brasil, usando a metodologia de captura, marcação, liberação e recaptura (CMLR). Foram marcados 498 indivíduos de Heliconius sara (378 machos e 120 fêmeas) sendo 27,7% destes recapturados. Em 2009, indivíduos adultos de ambos os sexos apareceram na área na última semana de abril, sendo que os machos tiveram pico no início do mês de maio enquanto as fêmeas no fim do mês de abril. Os machos sempre foram muito mais abundantes que as fêmeas, independente da parte da estrada e da época do ano. Durante abril, plantas floridas, que servem de alimento para os adultos, eram abundantes. A abundância de adultos se manteve alta de abril a julho, seguido por um período de crescente raridade até sumir da área no início de outubro. Espacialmente, a abundância de H. sara foi maior na unidade demográfica 2 (final da estrada), próxima à serra, quando comparada com o início. A atividade, número de indivíduos voando, foi maior no final da estrada do que no início. Indivíduos marcados em diferentes segmentos da estrada se mostraram altamente residentes (96%). Os poucos que se dispersaram mais que 100 m (6 entre 138 recapturas) eram machos. O tempo médio de permanência no local foi de 18,8 dias para recapturas, com uma permanência máxima de 86 dias para machos e de 44 dias para fêmeas. Por fim, o comprimento da asa anterior (CAA) das fêmeas foi superior (2mm) ao dos machos. Diferente de H. sara de populações de Carajás - PA e de Linhares - ES que apresentam adultos ativos o ano inteiro, a população do Vale do Rio Quilombo aparentemente recruta de forma concentrada no mês de abril e some sem vestígios em outubro, ou mantêm populações baixas ou persiste em refúgios ecológicos sazonais
Abstract: Population ecology seeks to understand the variation in species abundance in time and space. Species that have life cycles of short duration, like most insects, is especially convenient for this purpose. This study examined patterns of abundance during one year in a tropical butterfly near the limit of geographical distribution, in southeastern Brazil, in a subtropical location. In this work, Heliconius sara apseudes was studied along of road in the Quilombo River Valley, near of Santos' city, SP, Brazil, using the method of capture, marking, release and recapture. 498 individuals were marked (378 males and 120 females) being 27.7% of those recaptured. In 2009, individuals of both sexes appeared in the last week of April, and the males had peaks in the beggining of the month of May while the females at the end of April. Males have always been much more abundant than females, regardless of road part and of the season. During April, flowering plants, which provide food for the adults were abundant. The abundance of adults remained high from April to July, followed by a period of rarity increasing until disappear in the area in early October. Spatially, the abundance of H. sara was higher in the second demographic unit (final Road), near the mountains, when compared with the beginning. The activity, number of individuals flying, was bigger in the end of the road than at the beginning. Individuals marked in different segments of the road were shown highly residents. The few that were dispersed more than 100 m (6 of 138 recaptures) were males. The average length of stay in place was 18.8 days for recaptures, with a maximum stay of 86 days for males and 44 days for females. Finally, the length of forewing of females was higher (2mm bigger) than the males. There was an increase in the size of the wings of males advancing years, perhaps due to better survival of larger butterflies. Different of H. sara populations further north that have active adults throughout the year, the population of Quilombo River Valley apparently recruits in concentrated form in April and disappears without a trace in October, or maintaining low populations or persisting in seasonal ecological refuges
Mestrado
Ecologia
Mestre em Ecologia

A Confluência Brasil-Malvinas (CBM) é formada pelo encontro da Corrente do Brasil (CB) com a Corrente das Malvinas (CM) no Atlântico Sul e, por constituir o encontro de correntes de contorno oeste (CCO), é demarcada por um intenso gradiente horizontal de temperatura. A inclinação das isopicnais na porção mais quente de regiões de encontro de duas CCO favorece a formação de águas modais ao final do inverno. O estudo de águas modais subtropicais ainda é incipiente no Atlântico Sul, quando comparado com os diversos trabalhos versando sobre o fenômeno em outras regiões do mundo. A realização do primeiro cruzeiro oceanográfico especificamente planejado para o estudo de águas modais na região da CBM e de retroflexão da CB permitiu verificar a anisotropia desse extenso corpo d\'água, cuja espessura e profundidades máxima e mínima variam mormente com a latitude em que o fenômeno ocorre. Os dados fornecidos pelos perfiladores Argo lançados durante o cruzeiro, e ainda em operação na região da CBM, corroboraram tal observação e revelaram o limite norte da região de formação da água modal subtropical do sudoeste do Atlântico Sul (AMSTAS) em torno da latitude de 34°S. A comparação dos resultados obtidos in situ com os dados do modelo oceânico HYCOM, numa simulação de 4 anos, permitiu observar a mesma anisotropia e limite norte da área de formação. Embora relativamente curta, a série temporal viabilizou a primeira estimativa de volume da AMSTAS e uma avaliação preliminar dos processos envolvidos na dissipação da AMSTAS recém formada. O emprego de dados de satélites altímetros para o cálculo do calor armazenado (CA) na região de estudo permitiu verificar que a instabilidade apresentada na série temporal de dados do modelo HYCOM se deve sobretudo à dinâmica de mesoescala na região mais próxima do encontro das duas CCO. A análise do CA na região onde foi realizado o cruzeiro oceanográfico do estudo, permitiu identificar mais claramente a existência de diferentes padrões de calor armazenado coincidentes com áreas típicas de formação, os quais não ocorreram em áreas que continham AMSTAS apenas afundada.
The Brazil-Malvinas confluence zone (BMCZ) is an energetic region of the South Atlantic Ocean where the Brazilian Current (BC) and the Malvinas Current (MC) meet. As a convergence area of Western Boundary Currents (WBC), it is marked by intense horizontal temperature gradients. The inclination of isopycnals in the warm side of WBC convergence zone enables the formation of mode water at the end of winter. The study of subtropical mode waters in the South Atlantic is still incipient compared to similar investigations conducted in other regions of the world. The first oceanographic cruise specifically dedicated to the study of mode waters in the BMCZ and the BC retroflection helped verify the anisotropy of such extensive water masses, whose maximum and minimum thickness and depth vary mainly with the latitude where these phenomenon occur. Data derived from Argo profilers released during the cruise and currently still operating in the BMCZ, support this observation and indicate the northern limit of the formation region of the Southwestern Atlantic subtropical mode water (SASTMW) near latitude 34°S. Comparison of in situ results with those obtained from a 4-years simulation with the HYCOM ocean model, indicates similar anisotropy and northern limit of the formation area. Despite its relatively small length, this time series enabled the first estimation of the SASTMW volume, and a preliminary validation of the processes involved in the dissipation of newly formed SASTMW. The use of satellite altimetry data for the computation of heat content in the study area helped conclude that the instability observed in the time series of the HYCOM model output is due to mesoscale dynamics near the convergence zone of the BC and the MC. Analysis of heat content in the region where the oceanographic cruise was conducted helped identify the existence of different patterns in heat content, that coincide with typical formation areas but not with areas where SASTMW is already submerged.

As células de recirculação interna dos giros subtropicais oceânicos são definidas por subdividilos em feições de circulação anticiclônicas adjacentes ao contorno oeste. A estrutura de recirculação interna do Giro Subtropical do Atlântico Sul (GSAS) difere daquelas originalmente propostas por Tsuchiya (1985), Reid (1989) e Stramma & Peterson (1991). Encontramos que, em termos médios, a recirculação interna é bi-partida na porção central da Bacia de Santos e confinada zonalmente no contorno oeste do GSAS. A célula de recirculação norte (CRN) se estende desde a Cadeia Vitória-Trindade (20º S) até 25-28º S, e é mais rasa e evidente na circulação do oceano superior. A célula de recirculação sul (CRS) se estende de 30º S até 40º S e é mais espessa verticalmente. Estas estruturas apresentam variações sazonais significativas e diferenças no regime de circulação, sendo a CRN mais baroclínica, e a CRS mais barotrópica. O exame de diferentes conjuntos de dados revelou que a recirculação interna do GSAS apresenta intensa atividade de mesoescala que se reflete na circulação oceânica na região do Pólo Pré-sal da Bacia de Santos. Esta atividade predomina, tanto nos domínios da Corrente do Brasil - Corrente de Contorno Intermediária (CB-CCI) quanto no do fluxo de retorno da CRN. Da análise de séries temporais, detectamos que o desvio padrão desses escoamentos é da mesma magnitude que a média, principalmente na região da CRN onde o seu sinal fica mascarado pela variabilidade. Adjacente ao contorno oeste, o desvio padrão da Topografia Dinâmica Absoluta (std-TDA) revela uma área de cisalhamento e, provavelmente, de instabilidade por conta da posição média do escoamento meandrante da CB para sul-sudoeste, com velocidades máximas superficiais de 0,8 m s-1 em jato cuja base se encontra a 600 m de profundidade; e paralelo a esse, um escoamento médio, também meandrante, para nordeste da borda externa da recirculação interna do GSAS, com velocidades máximas superficiais de 0,5 m s-1 em jato cuja base se encontra a 300 m de profundidade. Em 28º S, porção central da Bacia de Santos, a região de cisalhamento entre os jatos da CB e fluxo de retorno da CRN possui 2,5-3º (ou 277-330 km) de largura. Esta região nos mapas de std-TDA configura um \'Corredor de Vorticidade\', em que uma sucessão de pares vorticais ciclônicos e anti-ciclônicos, paralelos e confinados nesta faixa de maior variabilidade de mesoescala, modulam o comportamento horizontal tanto da CB quanto do relativamente menos intenso e mais raso fluxo de retorno da CRN na Bacia de Santos. Verticalmente, a variabilidade está confinada aos primeiros 400-600 m, sem direção predominante, e é essencialmente baroclínica em 1º modo. Por outro lado, as fracas componentes médias de velocidade (0,1-0,2 m s-1) no centro do corredor indicam que a estrutura vertical é majoritariamente de 2º modo baroclínico ao nível de 83 (64) % para o perfil médio zonal (meridional) de velocidades. Em síntese, a área de estudo, caracterizada por escoamentos médios relativamente fracos, é dominada por vórtices cujo ajustamento geostrófico é amplamente dominado pelo 1º modo baroclínico. Análises no domínio da freqüência mostram que as ondas que se propagam pelo Corredor de Vorticidade, vi possuem variabilidade vertical sem período dominante e energia dispersa, característica de espectro de \'ruído vermelho\'. Já a sua variabilidade horizontal superficial mostra periodicidades intra-sazonais, características de processos de larga e meso escalas. Das razões físicas que podem sustentar dinamicamente o processo de recirculação interna do GSAS, focamos no forçamento mecânico do vento, com base em um modelo analítico linear quase-geostrófico (QG) na configuração de 1½ camadas a partir do clássico modelo de Munk (1950). Conseguimos reproduzir as principais feições médias do GSAS com base em um vento idealizado. O exame de campos de função de corrente (? ) gerados a partir do modelo analítico, forçado por 8 diferentes conjuntos de tensão de cisalhamento do vento (TCV) médio zonal, revelou que existe uma variação inter-sazonal entre 30-40º S, o que sugere que a recirculação desloca-se meridionalmente, segundo a variação sazonal desses campos de TCV. Sob condições realistas de contorno e ventos idealizados em experimentos teóricos, observamos a estrutura de larga escala da recirculação interna do GSAS, meridionalmente alongada e zonalmente confinada no contorno oeste, e também a sua partição em dois subgiros. Os resultados modelados indicam que o forçamento pelo vento, a viscosa camada limite oeste gerada pelo atrito lateral e a geometria realista da quebra de plataforma podem ser os mecanismos de primeira ordem que explicam a recirculação interna do GSAS, em termos médios, com uma dinâmica linear simples. Entretanto, reconhecemos que outros fatores/fenômenos não abordados quantitativamente neste trabalho podem colaborar para explicar a bi-partição da recirculação interna do GSAS. O cenário proposto para esta interrupção da recirculação em 25-28º S envolveria o processo de acoplamento entre gradientes de TSM e variações na magnitude da TCV, onde se propagam ondas baroclinicamente instáveis. Este acoplamento incrementaria a taxa de crescimento dos meandros mais instáveis, associados a uma corrente de contorno oeste relativamente fraca, a CB (Spall, 2006). Hipotetizamos que estes processos combinados, recorrentes no tempo, explicariam fisicamente a \'interrupção\' da feição média de recirculação interna do GSAS na Bacia de Santos entre 25-28º S. Adicionalmente, o processo de circulação oceânica na área estudada não seria apenas governado pelo vento médio zonal de larga escala, mas também por uma componente termohalina e pelo forçamento de segunda ordem por clivagens/amálgamas entre feições vorticais. A existência da camada limite lateral de Munk pode ser conseqüência da interação média vortical na região do Corredor de Vorticidade. Estes forçantes poderiam explicar o caráter de alta variabilidade da circulação oceânica observada no Pré-sal da Bacia de Santos.
The inner recirculation cells of the subtropical gyres are defined due to their subdivision into anti-cyclonic circulation features near the western boundary. The mean pattern of the inner recirculation structure of the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre (SASG) differs from those originally proposed by Tsuchiya (1985), Reid (1989) and Stramma & Peterson (1991). We found the inner recirculation double-partitioned and zonally-confined in the SASG western boundary, in the central portion of the Santos Basin. The northern recirculation cell (NRC) spans from Vitória- Trindade Chain (20º S) to 25-28º S, being shallower and more evident in the upper ocean circulation. The southern recirculation cell (SRC) spans from 30º S to 40º S, being vertically thicker. These recirculation structures show important seasonal variations and slant differences on the circulation pattern: the NRC is more baroclinic while the SRC is more barotropic. The analysis based on different data sets revealed intense mesoescale activity in the SASG inner recirculation that influences the oceanic circulation in the Pre-salt Cluster of the Santos Basin. The mesoescale features prevail on the Brazil Current - Intermediate Western Boundary Current (BC-IWBC) domain as long as on the NRC\'s return flux. The standard-deviation and the mean of these flows have similar magnitudes, respectively. Indeed, the variability of the flow masks the recirculation signal in the NRC area. Maps of standard-deviation from Absolute Dynamic Topography (std-TDA) showed a region adjacent to the western boundary, attributed to the mean flows horizontally sheared and probably their flux instability. The southsouthwestern meandering BC flow has maximum surface velocity of 0,8 m s-1 and 600 m deep base jet. Parallel to it, the north-northeastern meandering NRC return flux of the inner recirculation of the SASG has 0,5 m s-1 maximum surface velocity and 300 m deep base jet. This shearing region between the BC and the NRC return flux jets has 2,5-3º (or 277-330 km) width in the central portion of the Santos Basin at 28º S. Pairs of cyclonic and anti-cyclonic eddies succeed flowing paralleled and confined within it configuring a \'Vorticity Corridor\' likestructure. Therefore, this variability region modules the horizontal behavior of the BC and the relative weaker and shallower NRC return flows in the Santos Basin. Vertically, the variability is essentially of 1st baroclinic mode. Great part of it occupies the first 400-600 m water depth, with no predominant direction. We found seasonal stratification, which the geostrophic adjustment is mainly of 2nd baroclinic mode, with 83 (64) % adjust for the zonal (meridional) mean profile. Albeit of relative weaker mean flows (0,1-0,2 m s-1), the study area is eddy dominated wich are geostrophically adjusted to the 1st baroclinic mode. On the frequency domain, we found that the waves that propagate on the corridor have vertical variability with no dominant period and disperse energy (\'red noise\'), while horizontal surface variability showed intra-seasonal periods characteristic from large and mesoescale processes. Based on the physical reasons that could dynamically support the inner recirculation process, we focused on the mechanical forcing of the wind, by developing a linear quasi-geostrophic viii (QG) 1½ layer analytical model. We followed the classical Munk (1950) wind-driven model. We succeeded on reproducing the main features of the SASG based on an idealized wind. The stream-function (? ) output maps we computed from this model, based on 8 different zonal mean wind shear stress (WSS) climatology data sets, revealed us an inter-seasonal variation between 30-40º S. This suggests that the inner recirculation would dislocate meridionally according to seasonal variations of the WSS fields. Under realistic boundary conditions and by using three theoretical winds we found the inner large-scale recirculation feature of the SASG, meridionally-elongated and zonally-confined in the western boundary, as well as its doublepartition. The modeled results implies that the wind forcing, the western boundary viscous layer, and the realistic geometry of the continental shelf break are the mechanisms that explains in first order the inner recirculation of the SASG in mean terms, by a simple and linear dynamics. However, we recognize that other process not quantitatively evaluated would help to explain the partition of the inner recirculation of the SASG. The proposed scenario for this interruption of the recirculation at 25-28º S would involve the coupling process between sea surface temperature (SST) gradients and changes on the WSS magnitudes, in a baroclinically unstable wave propagation area. This coupling would enhance the most unstable meanders growth rate, which are associated to a weaker western boundary current, the BC (Spall, 2006). We hypothesized that these combined processes, recurring in a time frame, could physically explain the interruption of the inner recirculation of the SASG mean feature in the Santos Basin at 25-28º S. Additionally, the oceanic circulation process in the study area would not only be large scale wind-driven, but also driven by a thermohaline component and by a second order eddy-forcing due to cleavages/amalgams among eddy features. The existence of a Munk boundary layer can be consequence of the mean eddy interaction in the Vorticity Corridor region. These aspects could explain the high variability characteristic on the oceanic circulation we observed in the Pre-salt Cluster of the Santos Basin.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2006.
Title from first page of PDF file (viewed December 12, 2006). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Águas modais são formações oceânicas caracterizadas por camadas de propriedades praticamente homogêneas. Isso pode ser observada tanto através de baixos gradientes verticais de temperatura e salinidade, quanto de baixos valores de vorticidade potencial (VP). Portanto, para avaliarmos a formação da Água Modal Subtropical do Atlântico Sul (AMSTAS) foi utilizado o conjunto de dados In Situ Analysis System (ISAS - IFREMER) entre 2002 e 2014 para a região de 20ºS a 45ºS. Em conjunto aos critérios de Sato e Polito (2014) para a identificação da AMSTAS foram aplicados um novo intervalo de temperatura (13ºC a 16ºC) e a utilização de um gradiente vertical de temperatura (dT/dz = 0,02ºC m-1), tanto em superfície, de julho a novembro, quanto em subsuperfície durante todo o ano. Desse modo, os perfis selecionados foram utilizados para avaliar a variação do volume das camadas de AMSTAS. Na camada de superfície, buscou-se identificar os perfis que haviam sido recentemente afetados pela convecção local, que representa o principal mecanismo para a formação das águas modais, apenas entre julho e outubro. Para tanto, reduziu-se o valor máximo de VP dos perfis para 1,2 × 10-11 m-1 s-1. A partir da aplicação desse critério mais restritivo, calculou-se a taxa de formação de AMSTAS (Δ f) mensal, entre 2002 e 2009, para compararmos com a taxa de formação estimada (ΔF) pela teoria de Walin (1982), utilizando os dados do projeto Objectively Analyzed air-sea Fluxes (OAFlux). O Δ f apresentou média inferior a ΔF, indicando assim a necessidade de avaliarmos o conjunto de processos que afetam a formação da AMSTAS, em adição ao balanço de calor pela superfície.
Mode waters are oceanic formations characterized by layers of nearly homogeneous properties. This feature can be observed both at low temperature and salinity vertical gradients, as in low potential vorticity (PV) values. Therefore, to evaluate the formation of South Atlantic Subtropical Mode Water (SASTMW) the In Situ Analysis System (ISAS - IFREMER) data set was used for the period between 2002 and 2014 for the 20ºS to 45ºS region. Jointly with the criteria set by Sato e Polito (2014) for the identification of the SASTMW were applied a new temperature range (13ºC a 16ºC) and the use of a vertical temperature gradient (dT/dz = 0.02ºCm-1 both in surface, between June and November, as in the subsurface throughout the year. Thus, the selected profiles were used to evaluate changes in the volume of the layers of SASTMW. Within the surface layer data, we sought to identify profiles that had been recently affected by the local convection, which is the main mechanism for the formation of mode water, only between July to October. Thereby, we reduced the maximum PV value of the profiles to 1.2 × 10-11 m-1 s-1. From the application of this more restrictive criteria, we calculated the SASTMW monthly formation rate (Δf) between 2002 and 2009 to compare with the estimated formation rate (ΔF) from the Walin (1982) theory, using the data from the project Objectively Analyzed air-sea Fluxes (OAFlux). The Δ f showed a mean value lower than the ΔF rate, indicating the need to evaluate a broader set of processes that affect the SASTMW formation, in addition to the heat balance through the surface.

Les gyres subtropicaux sont au coeur des changements observés au cours des dernières décennies. On y observe entre la surface et la pycnocline permanente une augmentation du contenu thermique de l’océan. La pycnocline permanente délimite un important réservoir de chaleur et joue un rôle majeur en empêchant la chaleur accumulée en surface d’atteindre les profondeurs de l’océan. La pycnocline permanente est donc d’un intérêt important dans un contexte de changement climatique. Pour la première fois et grâce au réseau de données Argo, nous avons été capables de déterminer les propriétés de la pycnocline permanente. L’objectif de cette thèse est de déterminer la structure de la pycnocline permanente et d’étudier sa variabilité au cours des dernières décennies. Une méthode de détermination objective de la pycnocline permanente a été développée. Cette méthode a d’abord été appliquée à l’océan Atlantique nord avec les données Argo puis à l’océan global. Une structure complexe de la pycnocline permanente a été mise en évidence avec de fortes différences d’un gyre à l’autre. La pycnocline permanente est la plus profonde et la plus épaisse dans le gyre subtropical nord Atlantique. Cela explique que le gyre subtropical nord Atlantique soit le plus grand réservoir de chaleur au monde. Ensuite, les relations entre la variabilité du contenu de chaleur et les propriétés de la pycnocline permanente ont été étudiées en s’appuyant sur des réanalyses océaniques. Au cours des dernières décennies, un réchauffement important de l’océan a été observé et particulièrement dans l’océan Atlantique nord. Ce réchauffement est principalement dominé par un approfondissement des isopycnes. Les déplacements verticaux des isopycnes induisent des changements dans la stratification et affectent les propriétés de la pycnocline permanente (profondeur et densité potentielle)
Subtropical gyres are central to the observed climate changes throughout the last decades. It is observed between the surface and the permanent pycnocline an intense increase in the ocean heat content. The permanent pycnocline delineates thus an important heat reservoir. The permanent pycnocline has a major role in preventing heat to reach the deep ocean and it thus of a relative importance in the context of climate change. For the first time and thanks to the development of the Argo array, we have been able to characterize the observed structure of the permanent pycnocline. The objective of this PhD thesis is to investigate the structure of the permanent pycnocline and its variability over the last decades. We developed an objective method to characterize the properties of the permanent pycnocline. This method has been first applied to the North Atlantic Ocean with Argo data and then to the global ocean. A complex structure of the permanent pycnocline emerges with strong differences from one gyre to another. The permanent pycnocline is found to be the deepest and the thickest in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. It implies that the North Atlantic subtropical gyre is the largest heat reservoir on Earth. Then, ocean reanalyses have been used to investigate the changes in the permanent pycnocline properties in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. Over the last decades, there is a strong warming of the upper ocean, especially in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. The warming in the ocean is dominated by the heaving of isopycnal surfaces. This heaving strongly affects the depths of isopycnals and the stratification. This in turn affects the properties of the permanent pycnocline, especially its depth and potential density

La circulation méridienne de retournement (MOC) de l’Atlantique Nord est une composante clé du système climatique global, via son rôle dans la redistribution de chaleur, d’eau douce et de propriétés chimiques entre hautes et basses latitudes. Aux moyennes et hautes latitudes, le Courant Nord-Atlantique(NAC) forme la branche haute de la MOC. Il s’écoule vers le nord-est à la frontière des gyres subpolaire et subtropical, et se divise en deux branches principales dans l’est du gyre subpolaire : une branche nord qui recircule vers l’ouest dans le gyre subpolaire et une branche sud qui alimente les mers Nordiques.Une simulation réaliste haute résolution (ORCA025-G70, 1/4°) est combinée à un outil d’analyse Lagrangienne pour étudier la variabilité de la MOC (1965-2004) à travers la section A25-Ovide qui joint le Portugal au Groenland. Deux cellules de retournement vertical sont identifiées : une cellule subtropicale connectant les hautes et basses latitudes et une cellule interne aux régions subpolaires. La variabilité décennale de la MOC est associée à des changements synchronisés des apports subtropical et subpolaire dans la NAC. Ce dernier subit d’importantes restructurations horizontales caractérisées par la variabilité opposée de ses deux branches. Ces modifications de la distribution horizontale du transport sont principalement régies par la variabilité de l’afflux subtropical.Les variations du transport de chaleur à travers A25-Ovide sont la cause principale de la variabilité du contenu de chaleur observée dans l’est du gyre subpolaire (1965-2004). La variabilité du transport de chaleur résulte d’un déséquilibre entre des changements opposés de ses composantes « vitesse » et « température ». Les anomalies de vitesse et température sont en partie reflétées dans des déplacements verticaux d’isopycnes, potentiellement associés à la proportion changeante de masses d’eau subtropicales et subpolaires transportées par la branche nord du NAC.Enfin, une circulation surface-fond moyenne calculée depuis des mesures hydrographiques répétées et des mesures altimétriques indique une contribution mineure de la mer du Labrador pour la MOC global. Cependant, l’intensité du retournement diapycnal à AR7W a presque diminué de moitié entres les 1990’s et les 2000’s, confirmant l’importance de la région pour la variabilité basse-fréquence de la MOC
The meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) of the North Atlantic ocean is a key component of the global climate system, through its role in redistributing heat, freshwater end chemical properties between low and high latitude regions. In mid-high latitude regions, the North Atlantic Current (NAC) forms the upper limb of the MOC. It flows northeastward at the subtropical/subpolar boundary, and splits into two main branches in the eastern subpolar gyre: a northern branch that recirculates within the subpolar region and a southern branch that feed the Nordic Seas.A realistic eddy-permitting simulation (ORCA025-G70, 1/4°) is combined with a Lagrangian analysis tool (ARIANE) to investigate the MOC variability (1965-2004) across the A25-Ovide line, which joins Greenland to Portugal. Two vertical overturning cells are identified: a subtropical cell connecting low and high latitudes (12Sv) and a cell internal to the subpolar gyre (4Sv). The decadal MOC variability is associated with synchronized transport changes of the subtropical and subpolar inflow within the NAC. The latter undergoes important horizontal restructuring with opposed transport changes of its northern and southern branches. Those horizontal transport changes are largely induced by the horizontal variability of the subtropical inflow.Changes in oceanic heat transport across A25-Ovide are largely responsible for the observed heat content changes in the eastern subpolar gyre (1965-2004). Heat transport variability at A25-Ovide results from an imbalance between opposed changes in its velocity and temperature components. Both temperature and velocity anomalies are partly reflected in large scale heaves of isopycnals, and potentially relate to the varying proportion of warm subtropical waters and cold subpolar waters advected within the northern NAC branch.A 2000’s mean full-depth circulation computed along the merged AR7W/A25-Ovide line from repeated hydrographic profile and altimetry data indicates a minor contribution of the Labrador Sea to the basin wide mean MOC. However, the strength of the diapycnal overturning at AR7W has almost halved between the 1990’s and the 2000’s, confirming the importance of the region for the low-frequency MOC Variability

Neste trabalho, o objetivo geral é investigar os processos sinóticos, dinâmicos e termodinâmicos de dois ciclones subtropicais ocorridos no Atlântico Sul. Utilizou-se um algoritmo de rastreamento de máximos de vorticidade ciclônica e o algoritmo Cyclone Phase Space (CPS), que permite classificar o ciclo de vida dos ciclones. Desenvolveu-se um processo de automatização destes algoritmos, que possibilitou a análise dos diagramas de fase de todos os ciclones ocorridos no Atlântico Subtropical durante 2008, 2009 e março de 2010. As condições sinóticas para dois eventos foram analisadas desde o período prévio à formação até o decaimento dos sistemas, e as equações do balanço de vorticidade e de calor foram utilizadas para investigar os processos dinâmicos e termodinâmicos. Embora com fraca intensidade em termos de pressão central, os ciclones tiveram impacto importante nas condições de tempo sobre suas regiões de atuação, e os ventos máximos superaram 15 m/s em 925 hPa por várias horas. Ambos os ciclones apresentaram, ao menos em algum tempo de sua fase subtropical, um pico de advecção horizontal quente em altos níveis, enquanto a advecção horizontal quente em baixos níveis apresentou fraca intensidade. Nos estágios de fase híbrida, o termo diabático foi responsável pelas tendências de aquecimento em baixos níveis. Já durante a fase de transição extratropical ocorrida em um dos ciclones, o sentido dos fluxos turbulentos em superfície se inverteu e o termo diabático passou a contribuir para tendências de resfriamento em baixos níveis. Em altos níveis, foram encontradas regiões em que altos valores positivos do termo diabático da equação da termodinâmica correspondem a regiões de intenso resíduo negativo da equação da vorticidade. Nestas regiões, os processos convectivos podem explicar os imbalanços de vorticidade. Nas demais regiões e níveis em que esta relação não ocorreu, sugere-se que a convecção influencia as variações locais de vorticidade de uma forma mais distribuída na coluna atmosférica, assim como a divergência associada aos movimentos verticais pode ocorrer de forma distribuída ao longo da troposfera.
This work aims to investigate the synoptic and dynamic processes of a sample of subtropical cyclones that occurred near the east coast of South America. A cyclonic vorticity maximum tracking algorithm and the Cyclone Phase Space (CPS) algorithm are used to track and to classify the life cycle evolution of the cyclones. By automating these algorithms, it was possible to perform the analysis of the phase diagrams of all the cyclones occurred in the Subtropical Atlantic during 2008, 2009 and March 2010. The synoptic conditions for two events were analyzed from the period prior to the genesis until the decay of the systems, and the heat and vorticity balance equations were used to investigate the thermodynamic and dynamic processes. Although with low intensity in terms of central pressure, the cyclones had a major impact on the weather conditions in their regions of occurrence, and the 925 hPa maximum sustained winds exceeded 15 m/s for several hours. Both selected cyclones, at least at a time of its subtropical phase, had a peak of warm horizontal advection at higher levels, whilst the warm horizontal advection at lower levels showed weak intensity. In the hybrid stages of both cyclones, the diabatic term was responsible for warming trends at low levels. However, during the extratropical transition in one of the cyclones, the direction of the near-surface turbulent fluxes reversed and the diabatic term began to contribute to cooling trends at low levels. In the upper troposphere, it was found that in some regions that featured large positive values of the thermodynamic equation diabatic term, there was also a significant negative residual of the vorticity equation. In these regions, the convective processes can explain the observed vorticity imbalances. For other regions and levels, at which there was no direct relationship between the residual fields, it is suggested here that convection influences the local variations of vorticity in a more distributed way in the atmospheric column, as well as the divergence associated with the vertical velocities can be more distributed throughout the troposphere, without being concentrated at only some levels.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo investigar processos de interação ar-mar na porção leste da América do Sul e Oceano Atlântico adjacente ao longo do Holoceno (últimos 12.000 anos). Para isso, os efeitos de forçantes naturais sobre a variabilidade climática foram investigados em três escalas temporais: (i) milenar-centenária: efeitos de pulsos de degelo no Oceano Atlântico, e de variações nas forçantes solar e orbital sobre o modo dipolar subtropical do Atlântico sul e consequências sobre a precipitação, durante o Holoceno; (ii) cenário médio: efeitos de diferenças na forçante orbital em relação ao clima presente sobre a precipitação média no continente, durante o Holoceno médio (6.000 anos atrás), por meio de uma compilação de dados paleoclimáticos inédita para esse período, e comparação com resultados de simulações numéricas; (iii) multidecadal: efeitos de variações na forçante vulcânica ao longo do último milênio (850 a 1850 da Era Comum) sobre a variabilidade do modo equatorial do Atlântico e consequências sobre a precipitação na América do Sul. Os resultados mostraram efeitos dos eventos de rápido resfriamento do Hemisfério norte na variabilidade do modo dipolar subtropical do Atlântico sul, com consequências principalmente sobre a precipitação do Nordeste do Brasil. O cenário médio para o Holoceno médio apontou déficit hídrico na porção leste da América do Sul durante esse período, relacionado com menor quantidade de insolação de verão recebida pelo Hemisfério sul. A dificuldade na coleta de testemunhos marinhos foi identificada como um dos principais limitantes em estudos paleoclimáticos. O vulcanismo explosivo observado no último milênio resfriou a região tropical no ano da erupção, e enfraqueceu a relação entre a precipitação na porção leste da América do Sul e o modo equatorial do Atlântico. Finalmente, a presente tese demonstrou, por meio de comparações dados-modelo, a importância do Oceano Atlântico no regimes de chuva da América do Sul em diversas escalas temporais para climas onde a forçante antropogênica era pouco significativa. 195 pp.
This work investigates the air-sea interaction processes in eastern South America and the adjacent Atlantic Ocean for the Holocene (past 12,000 years). The effects of the natural forcings on climate variability were investigated in three time-scales: (i) millennial-to-centennial: effects of Atlantic meltwater pulses and changes in the solar and orbital forcings on the South Atlantic subtropical dipole, and rainfall impacts during the Holocene; (ii) mid-Holocene scenario: effects of changes in the orbital forcing, in comparison to the present-day conditions, on mean precipitation over the continent, during the mid-Holocene (6,000 years ago). This was achieved through an unpublished multiproxy compilation and comparison with numerical experiments; (iii) multidecadal: effects of changes in the volcanic forcing along the past millennium (850 to 1850 Common Era) on the variability of the Atlantic equatorial mode and consequences on precipitation over South America. Results show effects of the Northern Hemisphere cooling events on the variability of the South Atlantic subtropical dipole, with impacts mainly over Northeastern Brazil\'s rainfall. The mid-Holocene scenario results indicate a water deficit in eastern South America during this period related to a decrease in Southern Hemisphere summer insolation. The difficulty in marine cores sampling is identified as one of the main problems in current paleoclimate studies. The explosive volcanism observed during the past millennium cooled the tropical regions at the year of the volcanic eruption, and weakened the relation between the precipitation in eastern South America and the Atlantic equatorial mode. This thesis shows through data-model approaches the importance of the Atlantic Ocean on South America precipitation regimes in the climate timescales where the anthropogenic forcing was not so relevant. 195 pp.

Entender padrões de diversidade e composição de espécies ao longo de múltiplas escalas espaciais constitui um dos principais objetivos em ecologia e biogeografia. A relativa importância dos mecanismos responsáveis por estruturar as comunidades de plantas e como eles interagem para influenciar estes padrões têm sido foco de intensos debates. No presente estudo, foram utilizados dados do Inventário Florístico Florestal de Santa Catarina a fim de investigar os padrões de diversidade de espécies de árvores e suas relações com a heterogeneidade ambiental sob uma das perspectivas oriundas da teoria de metacomunidades, conhecida como “sorteio de espécies”. A predição chave deste ponto de vista é a de que a composição de espécies varia em resposta a diferenças nas condições ambientais entre manchas de hábitat. O presente estudo é focado nessa predição e objetivou entender como processos relacionados a filtros ambientais interagem direta e indiretamente sobre os padrões de diversidade em uma área de 95000 km 2 (dados de 432 unidades amostrais). Foi utilizada modelagem de equações estruturais (PLS Path Modeling), a fim de investigar os efeitos interativos da topografia, clima, balanço de água e energia e geometria das manchas de floresta sobre os padrões de alfa (α) e beta (β) diversidade de uma metacomunidade de floresta atlântica no sul do Brasil. Fatores relacionados a filtros ambientais mostraram substanciais efeitos sobre a diversidade alfa e beta. A quantidade total da variação na beta diversidade explicada pela filtragem de hábitat foi alta (64%), corroborando a predição testada no nível de metacomunidades. Os fatores mais importantes para explicar a diversidade beta foram: extremos climáticos, balanço de água e energia e alfa diversidade, enquanto tamanho da mancha e balanço de água e energia foram os fatores chaves para a alfa diversidade. O teste de Mantel parcial mostrou que os efeitos ambientais ocorrem amplamente independente de efeitos espaciais, reforçando a predição testada. O estudo provê forte suporte empírico para a predição de que a beta diversidade reflete primariamente processos determinísticos associados com o nicho das espécies e suas respostas às condições ambientais na escala espacial considerada.
Understanding patterns of species diversity and composition across multiple scales is one of the main purpose in ecology and biogeography. The relative importance of the mechanisms that structure plant communities and how they interact to influence these patterns remains a topic of hot debate. In the present study, we use data from the Forest Inventory of Santa Catarina to investigate the patterns of species diversity of subtropical Atlantic forests and its relationships with environmental heterogeneity on a metacommunity perspective (species-sorting). The key prediction of this viewpoint is that community composition varies in response to differences in environmental conditions among habitat patches. Our study focused on this perspective, aiming to understand how environmental filtering processes interact directly and indirectly on diversity patterns in an area of 95000 km 2 (data from 432 forest plots). We employed structural equation modeling (PLS Path Modeling) to disentangle the interactive effects of topography, climate, water-energy balance, and geometry of forest patches upon the alpha and beta diversity of a subtropical forest metacommunity in southern Brazil. Factors related to environmental filtering showed substantial effects upon tree alpha and beta diversity. The total amount of variation in beta diversity explained by environmental filtering was high (64%) and was even more when together with alpha diversity (73%), corroborating the prediction of species-sorting model at the metacommunity level. Climatic extremes, water-energy balance and alpha diversity were the key determinants of beta diversity and patch size and water- energy balance the key determinants of alpha diversity in the South Brazilian Atlantic forests. Partial mantel test showed that environmental effects occurred largely independent of spatial effects, reinforcing the tested prediction. Our study provides strong empirical support for the prediction that beta diversity primarily reflects deterministic factors associated with species niches and their responses to environmental conditions in the studied spatial scale.

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O aumento das concentrações de CO2 atmosférico no último século deve impactar a produtividade primária dos ecossistemas. Esse efeito pode ser direto e positivo, devido a um mecanismo de fertilização, ou de modo indireto (positivo ou negativo) através de mudanças climáticas. Evidências sobre variação no balanço de carbono de florestas nas últimas décadas indicam respostas neutras em regiões boreais, positivas em regiões temperadas e negativas nos trópicos. Especificamente para florestas subtropicais há pouca evidência acerca de como a produtividade primária responde a esses fatores de mudança global. Nesse trabalho, investigamos como a produtividade primária de uma conífera arbórea dominante em florestas subtropicais úmidas do SE da América do Sul (Araucaria angustifolia) tem sido afetada ao longo do último século pelas concentrações de CO2 e consequentes alterações climáticas. Para uma população dessa espécie, testamos a validade das seguintes hipóteses: (i) o incremento de CO2 atmosférico afeta a taxa de fixação de carbono indiretamente, através do impacto do aquecimento global nos regimes regionais de temperatura e precipitação; e (ii) além desse efeito indireto, o incremento de CO2 afeta diretamente a taxa de fixação de carbono através de um mecanismo de fertilização. Para uma amostra inicial de 25 árvores de A. angustifolia de 0,33 ha de floresta subtropical madura no sul do Brasil, estimamos séries de incremento anual de carbono no lenho de 14 árvores, a partir de séries dendrocronológicas codatadas de largura de aneis (de um estudo preexistente) e de densidade de aneis (por densitometria de Raios X); e equações hipsométrica (ajustada à população local) e volumétrica (geral para a espécie). As séries individuais foram combinadas numa série média de índices de incremento de carbono (vetor I), filtrando previamente tendências ontogenéticas (pela Curva Regional de Padronização) e autocorrelação temporal (por modelos autoregressivos). Comparando I à séries regionais de temperatura média e precipitação total (estimativas do CRU TS4), através de Função de Correlação, selecionamos variáveis climáticas relacionadas à fixação de carbono (matrizes P e T). Dados instrumentais de concentração de carbono atmosférico (NOAA EARL) e estimativas de temperatura global (CRU TEM4) compuseram as matrizes C e A, respectivamente. Finalmente, a validade dos modelos causais descrevendo as relações entre as matrizes I, T, P, A e C segundo as diferentes hipóteses de estudo, foi testada por Análise de Caminhos. A cronologia de índices residuais de incremento de carbono obtida cobriu o período 1890 a 2014, com médias de rbar = 0,27 e EPS = 0,77. Nas análises subsequentes consideramos o período de 1901 a 2008 (período comum com as séries climáticas). Ambos modelos não foram rejeitados na Análise de Caminhos (P > 0,1), sendo o modelo que representa a hipótese i considerado mais plausível pelo maior p-valor para a estatística C de Fisher (Fisher-C = 9,25, gl = 10, P = 0,508). Nesse modelo, o aquecimento global decorrente da elevação do CO2 afeta negativamente o incremento de carbono em A. angustifolia através da elevação da temperatura de maio prévio na região. Além deste fator climático, as precipitações de março e junho prévios afetam a fixação de carbono de modo positivo, porém ambas não são influenciadas pelo CO2 através do aquecimento global. Em conjunto, as variáveis climáticas explicaram 19% da variação temporal do incremento de carbono das árvores. Esses resultados demonstram que, apesar do conhecido impacto positivo do aumento do CO2 na eficiência do uso água nessa espécie (e sítio) isso não se traduz em maior produtividade primária, possivelmente pelo carácter ombrófilo do clima regional. Por outro lado, a mudança para outonos com temperatura mais elevadas tem resultado em menor produtividade primária de A. angustifolia ao longo do último século. Sendo esta espécie dominante e com papel chave na estrutura trófica, este efeito negativo da mudança climática na sua produtividade, possivelmente, pode impactar indiretamente a estrutura e o funcionamento dos ecossistemas em que insere.
The increase in the concentrations of atmospheric CO2 in the last century must impact ecosystems primary productivity. This effect may be direct and positive, due to a fertilization mechanism, or indirect (positive or negative) through climate changes. Evidences on the variation of carbon balance in forests in the last decades indicate neutral responses in boreal regions, positive in temperate regions and negative in the tropics. There is little evidence about how primary productivity responds to these global changing factors in subtropical forests. In this study, we investigate how the primary productivity of a dominant conifer in subtropical moist forests of the Southeast region of South America (Araucaria angustifolia) has been affected throughout the last century by elevated CO2 concentrations and consequent climate alterations. For a population of this species, we have tested the validity of the following hypothesis: (i) the increase of atmospheric CO2 indirectly affects the rate of carbon fixation, through the impact of global warming in the local temperature and rainfall regimes; and (ii) besides this indirect effect, the increment in CO2 directly affects the rate of carbon fixation through a fertilization mechanism. In an initial sample of 25 A. angustifolia trees from 0,33 ha of mature subtropical forest in the south of Brazil, we estimated annual series of wood carbon content for 14 trees using series of dendrochronologically dated growth-ring widths (from a preexisting study) and growth-ring densities (by X ray densitometry), and hypsometric (adjusted to local population) and volumetric (general for the species) equations. The individual series were combined in an average index series of carbon increment (I vector), previously removing ontogenetic tendencies (through Regional Curve Standardization) and time autocorrelation (by autoregressive models). By comparing I to regional series of mean temperature and total rainfall (estimations of CRU TS4) through a Correlation Function, we selected several climatic variables related to carbon fixation (P and T matrices). Instrumental data of atmospheric C concentration (NOAA EARL) and estimations of global temperature (CRU TEM4) composed matrices C and A, respectively. Finally, the validity of causal models describing the relations among matrices I, T, P, A e C according to the different hypothesis of the study, was tested through Path Analysis. The resulting chronology of residual indexes of carbon increment comprehended the period of 1890 to 2014, with averages of rbar = 0,27 and EPS = 0,77. In the subsequent analysis, we considered the period of 1901 to 2008 (common period with the climate series). Both models were not rejected in the Path Analysis (P > 0,1), and the model which represents the i hypothesis was considered the most plausible by the greater p-value for the Fisher’s C-statistic (Fisher-C = 9.25, gl =10, P = 0.508). In this model, global warmth comes from the elevation of CO2 which negatively affects the increase in carbon content in A. angustifolia through regional temperature elevation (in previous) may. Besides this climatic factor, rainfalls in previous march and june affected carbon fixation in a positive way, although both are not influenced by CO2 through global warming. In summary, climatic variables explained 19% of temporal variation of carbon increase in the trees. These results demonstrate that, despite the known positive impact of CO2 in water use efficiency in this species (and site), this does not translate into a greater primary productivity, possibly by the ombrophilous character of the regional climate. On the other hand, the change into autumns with higher temperatures has resulted in lower primary productivity of A. angustifolia throughout the last century. As this is the dominant species and plays a key role in the trophic structure, this negative effect of the climatic change in its productivity may, possibly, indirectly impact the structure and the operation of the ecosystems in which it is inserted.

L'objectif global de cette thèse est de progresser sur la compréhension des cycles biogéochimiques océaniques (sources, cycles internes, puits) à l'aide de traceurs présents dans l'eau de mer (la concentration d'aluminium dissous et la composition isotopique du fer dissous) combinés à des outils hydrodynamiques. L'aluminium est utilisé comme traceur des sources lithogéniques à l'océan alors que les isotopes du fer nous renseignent sur le cycle du fer dans l'océan. Cette thèse se concentre en premier lieu sur l'analyse de masses d'eau d'une section longitudinale à 22ºN dans l'Atlantique Nord réalisée dans le cadre de la campagne GEOTRACES GApr08. Cette étude combine pour la première fois une analyse multiparamétrique optimale des masses d'eau (extended optimum multiparameter analysis eOMPA) à une estimation de leurs trajectoires Lagrangiennes issues d'un modèle hydrodynamique. Par ailleurs, les mesures d'aluminium dissous (dAl) effectuées ont permis de produire une première section de dAl à 22ºN et ces mêmes outils, une analyse poussée. En effet, l'utilisation conjointe du modèle 1D d'advection-dépôt de poussière en surface et des résultats de l'eOMPA a mis en valeur les processus prédominants associés aux concentrations de dAl mesurées. (i) En surface, l'advection et le dépôt de poussière atmosphérique sont tous deux essentiels pour expliquer les concentrations de dAl observées bien que dans l'ouest, une source externe supplémentaire est nécessaire. Cette source pourrait provenir soit du fleuve Amazone, soit de l'érosion des petites Antilles. (ii) Entre 200 et 800 m, alors qu'on se situe dans une zone de fort dépôt atmosphérique (sous le panache saharien), les fortes concentrations de dAl résultent du transport océanique. Le bilan net des interactions dissous-particules est pourtant une soustraction de dAl, probablement par adsorption sur les particules. (iii) En dessous de 800 m, l'effet des interactions dissous-particules s'inverse et le scavenging réversible est une source nette de dAl. (iv) En dessous de 3340 m, la source hydrothermale Snakepit s'avère être une source locale importante de dAl. Contrairement à l'aluminium, le fer (Fe) est un micronutriment essentiel à la production primaire. Ce micronutriment limite la production primaire dans 30 à 40 % de l'océan. Dans le cadre des campagnes GEOTRACES KEOPS 1 et 2, nos mesures d'isotopes de Fe présentées dans cette thèse permettent l'étude des sources de micronutriments dans une zone naturellement fertilisée de l'océan Austral, les îles Kerguelen. Nos mesures d'isotopes de Fe révèlent plusieurs éléments sur son cycle. (i) En l'absence d'apport externe, les signatures isotopiques de Fe des masses d'eau sont conservées sur plus de 4500 kilomètres, ce qui permet d'utiliser ce traceur pour suivre l'origine du Fe dans l'océan. (ii) Une source sédimentaire réductrice de Fe dissous provenant de la marge des îles Kerguelen alimente la production primaire en aval. (iii) Une source sédimentaire locale non réductrice de Fe dissous impacte les eaux de fond des stations situées au niveau du plateau des Kerguelen, mais ne semble pas contribuer significativement aux eaux moins profondes. Ce résultat est identifié pour la première fois directement dans une région HNLC. L'ensemble de ces travaux souligne le caractère essentiel 1) de la prise en compte des transports horizontaux, si possible de manière quantitative, dans l'interprétation des distributions d'éléments traces et d'isotopes, 2) des interactions dissous particules, notamment le processus dit de scavenging réversible (adsorption-désorption), sur les cycles des éléments traces et isotopes
The overall objective of this thesis is to further our understanding of ocean biogeochemical cycles (sources, internal cycles, sinks) using tracers present in seawater (the concentration of dissolved aluminium and the isotopic composition of dissolved iron) combined with hydrodynamic tools. Aluminum is used as a tracer from lithogenic sources to the ocean, while iron isotopes tell us about the iron cycle in the ocean. This thesis focuses first on the analysis of water masses of the 22ºN longitudinal section in the North Atlantic carried out in the framework of the GEOTRACES GApr08 campaign. This study combines for the first time an extended optimum multiparameter analysis (eOMPA) of water masses with an estimation of their Lagrangian trajectories from a hydrodynamic model. In addition, the dissolved aluminium (dAl) measurements carried out have made it possible to produce a first section of dAl at 22ºN and these same tools have enabled an advanced analysis. The joint use of the 1D model of surface dust advection-deposition and the eOMPA results highlighted the predominant processes associated with the measured dAl concentrations. (i) At the surface, both advection and deposition of atmospheric dust are essential to explain the observed dAl concentrations, although in the west, an additional external source is required. This source could come either from the Amazon River or from erosion in the Petites Antilles. (ii) Between 200 and 800m, in an area of strong atmospheric deposition (below the Saharan plume), high dAl concentrations result from oceanic transport. The net balance of dissolved-particle interactions, however, is a subtraction of dAl, probably by adsorption onto particles. (iii) Below 800 m, the effect of dissolved-particle interactions is reversed and reversible scavenging results in a net source of dAl. (iv) Below 3340 m, the Snakepit hydrothermal source is found to be a significant local source of dAl. Unlike aluminium, iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for primary production. This micronutrient limits the primary production in 30-40% of the ocean. In the framework of the GEOTRACES KEOPS 1 and 2 campaigns, the Fe isotope measurements presented in this thesis allow the study of micronutrient sources in a naturally fertilized area of the Southern Ocean, the Kerguelen Islands. Our Fe isotope measurements reveal several elements on its cycle. (i) In the absence of external input, the Fe isotope signatures of water masses are preserved over 4500 kilometers, which allows us to use this tracer to follow the origin of Fe in the ocean. (ii) A reducing sedimentary source of dissolved Fe from the Kerguelen Island margin feeds primary production downstream. (iii) A local non-reducing sedimentary source of dissolved Fe impacts the bottom waters of the Kerguelen Plateau stations, but does not appear to contribute significantly to the shallower waters. This result is identified for the first time directly in an HNLC region. This PhD work highlights the key importance of 1) taking into account horizontal transport, if possible quantitatively, in the interpretation of trace element and isotope distributions, and 2) the interactions of dissolved particles, in particular the so-called reversible scavenging process (adsorption-desorption), on the cycles of trace elements and isotopes

As interações tróficas de 31 espécies de peixes e 2 de lulas da Baía do Araçá, São Sebastião (SP), foram investigadas por meio dos isótopos estáveis de carbono (δ13C) e nitrogênio (δ15N). Os valores de δ13C das espécies variaram entre -17,2‰ e -12,1‰, e os de δ15N, entre 10,0‰ e 14,5‰. Os valores de δ13C dos produtores e consumidores permitiram indicar que as espécies analisadas participam das teias tróficas, pelágica e bentônica, e têm como base da cadeia alimentar o fitoplâncton, os microfitobentos e a matéria orgânica dos sedimentos. Maiores valores de δ13C nos peixes e lulas foram registrados no verão, associados a valores mais altos na base. As posições tróficas das espécies variaram entre 3,18 e 4,72, indicando que atuam como consumidores secundários e terciários. A composição da dieta dos peixes, avaliada pelo modelo de mistura isotópica, apontou elevada contribuição de presas como Polychaeta, Tanaidacea e Ophiuroidea, grupos com alta abundância na Baía do Araçá e no Canal de São Sebastião. A ingestão de presas disponíveis no interior da baía e no canal evidenciou a importância desses peixes e lulas como carreadores de nutrientes, realizando tanto acoplamento pelágico-bentônico, como entre as regiões sublitoral e entremarés da Baía do Araçá.
The trophic interactions of 31 fish species and 2 squid species of the Araçá Bay, São Sebastião (São Paulo, Brazil), were investigated through carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopes. The δ13C of the species ranged from -17.2‰ to -12.1‰, and the δ15N, from 10.0‰ to 14.5‰. The δ13C data of the producers and consumers indicated that the species analysed are part of the pelagic and benthic trophic webs, and have phytoplankton, microphytobenthos and organic matter from the sediment as the base of the food web. Higher values of δ13C were registered in the summer, linked to the higher values at the base. The trophic positions of the species varied between 3.18 e 4.72, an indication that they act as secondary and tertiary-quaternary consumers. The diet composition of fish, evaluated trough the isotope mixing model, showed high contribution of prey, such as Polychaeta, Tanaidacea and Ophiuroidea, groups highly abundant in the Bay and the adjacent São Sebastião Channel. The intake of available prey in the intertidal region and in the Channel revealed the importance of the fish and squid as nutrient pathway links, coupling the pelagic-benthic systems and the sublittoral and intertidal regions of the Araçá Bay.

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2007.
Advisor: T. N. Krishnamurti, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Meteorology. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed March 25, 2007). Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 68 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2007
Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-92).

The Southeastern United States (SE US) is one of the fastest developing regions of the nation, where summer precipitation becomes increasingly important to sustain population and economic growth. In recent decades, the variability of SE US summer precipitation has significantly intensified, leading to more frequent and severe climate extremes. However, the processes that have caused such enhanced climate variability have been poorly understood. By analyzing atmospheric hydrological cycle, diagnosing atmospheric circulation dynamics, and performing regional climate simulations, this dissertation investigates the mechanisms responsible for SE US summer precipitation variability.

Analysis of regional moisture budget indicates that the variability of SE US summer precipitation is primarily controlled by moisture transport processes associated with the variation of the North Atlantic Subtropical High (NASH) western ridge, while local water recycling is secondary. As the ridge moves northwestward (NW) into the US continent, moisture transport pathway is away from the SE US and the upward motion is depressed. Thus, rainfall decreases over the SE US, leading to dry summers. In contrast, when the ridge moves southwestward (SW), moisture convergence tends to be enhanced over the SE US, facilitating heavier rainfall and causing wetter summers. However, as the ridge is located relatively eastward, its influence on the summer precipitation is weakened. The intensified precipitation variability in recent decades is attributed to the more frequent occurrence of NW- and SW-type ridges, according to the "NASH western ridge - SE US summer precipitation" relationship.

In addition, the "NASH western ridge - SE US summer precipitation" relationship acts as a primary mechanism to determine general circulation model (GCM) and regional climate model (RCM) skill in simulating SE US summer precipitation. Generally, the state-of-the-art GCMs that are capable of representing the abovementioned relationship perform better in simulating the variability of SE US summer precipitation. Similarly, the RCM simulated summer precipitation bias over the SE US is largely caused by the errors in the NASH western ridge circulation, with the physical parameterization playing a secondary role.

Furthermore, the relationship between the NASH western ridge and SE US summer precipitation well explains the projected future precipitation changes. According to the projection by the ensemble of phase-5 of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) models, summer precipitation over the SE US will become more variable in a warming climate. The enhancement of precipitation variability is due mainly to the atmospheric circulation dynamics, resulting from the pattern shift of the NASH western ridge circulation. In a warming climate, the NASH circulation tends to intensify, which forces its western ridge to extend further westward, exerting stronger impact on the SE US summertime climate. As the ridge extends westward, the NW- and SW-type ridges occur more frequently, resulting in an increased occurrence of extreme summers over the SE US.

In summary, the studies presented in this dissertation identify the NASH western ridge as a primary regulator of SE US summer precipitation at seasonal scale. The "NASH western ridge - SE US summer precipitation" relationship established in this study serves as a first order mechanism for understanding and simulating processes that influence the statistics of extreme events over the SE in the current and future climate.

Dissertation

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2004.
Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-99).