Upper Ocean Cooling in a Coupled Climate Model Due to Light Attenuation by Yellowing Materials

Colored detrital matter consists of dissolved organic molecules and detrital materials that impart a yellow shift to the ocean's color. These materials reduce light penetration, concentrating heating by sunlight closer to the surface. We ran two climate model simulations: one of an ocean including colored detrital matter (Yellow Ocean) and one without (Green Ocean). Due to the decreased water clarity in the Yellow Ocean, upper ocean heat content was lower and temperatures were colder compared to the Green Ocean. The difference between these simulations is opposite to the ocean warming that has been observed in recent decades. Increasing precipitation in high-latitude regions has also been observed, with greater inputs of terrestrial organic materials to the ocean. We suggest that an increase in these yellowing materials behaves as a buffer that mitigates some effects of a warming climate. Future studies should investigate this link between the atmosphere, land, and ocean systems.