Abstract
The accuracy of two satellite models of marine primary (PP) and new
production (NP) were assessed against 14C and 15N uptake measurements
taken during six research cruises in the northern North Atlantic. The
wavelength resolving model (WRM) was more accurate than the Vertical
General Production Model (VGPM) for computation of both PP and NP. Mean
monthly satellite maps of PP and NP for both models were generated from
1997 to 2010 using SeaWiFS data for the Irminger basin and North
Atlantic. Intra- and inter-annual variability of the two models was
compared in six hydrographic zones. Both models exhibited similar
spatio-temporal patterns: PP and NP increased from April to June and
decreased by August. Higher values were associated with the East
Greenland Current (EGC), Iceland Basin (ICB) and the Reykjanes Ridge
(RKR) and lower values occurred in the Central Irminger Current (CIC),
North Irminger Current (NIC) and Southern Irminger Current (SIC). The
annual PP and NP over the SeaWiFS record was 258 and 82 gC m− 2 yr− 1
respectively for the VGPM and 190 and 41 gC m− 2 yr− 1 for the WRM.
Average annual cumulative sum in the anomalies of NP for the VGPM were
positively correlated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in the
EGC, CIC and SIC and negatively correlated with the multivariate ENSO
index (MEI) in the ICB. By contrast, cumulative sum of the anomalies of
NP for the WRM were significantly correlated with NAO only in the EGC
and CIC. NP from both VGPM and WRM exhibited significant negative
correlations with Arctic Oscillation (AO) in all hydrographic zones. The
differences in estimates of PP and NP in these hydrographic zones arise
principally from the parameterisation of the euphotic depth and the SST
dependence of photo-physiological term in the VGPM, which has a greater
sensitivity to variations in temperature than the WRM. In waters of 0
to 5 °C PP using the VGPM was 43% higher than WRM, from 5 to 10 °C the
VGPM was 29% higher and from 10 to 15 °C the VGPM was 27% higher.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 473-489 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Remote Sensing of Environment |
Volume | 156 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |