Remotely sensed biological production in the equatorial Pacific

Area of Science:

• * Oceanography
• * Biogeochemistry
• * Climate Science

Background:

• * El Niño and La Niña are major climate patterns influencing the tropical Pacific.
• * These phenomena affect oceanographic conditions and marine ecosystems.
• * Understanding their impact on biogeochemical cycles is crucial for global climate modeling.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To assess the net effects of El Niño and La Niña on biogeochemical cycles.
• * To quantify changes in biological production during an El Niño/La Niña period.
• * To determine the contribution of these cycles to global carbon sequestration variability.

Main Methods:

• * Utilized a combination of ship, buoy, and satellite observations.
• * Analyzed data from the tropical Pacific basin.
• * Focused on the observation period from 1992 to 2000.

Main Results:

• * Biological production varied by over 100% during the 1997-99 El Niño/La Niña event.
• * Observed significant interannual changes in global carbon sequestration.
• * Identified the El Niño/La Niña cycle as a major driver of natural carbon cycle perturbations.

Conclusions:

• * El Niño and La Niña events cause substantial variability in tropical Pacific biogeochemical cycles.
• * These climate patterns significantly influence global carbon sequestration.
• * The study highlights the largest known natural perturbation of the global carbon cycle on these time scales.