POSTER Session 3

PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DRIVERS OF PCO2 SPATIOTEMPORAL VARIABILITY IN THE NORTH SEA

The coastal oceans play a key role in the global carbon cycle, significantly contributing to the ocean carbon sink. The partial pressure of CO2 in seawater (pCO2) and the absorption of atmospheric CO2 into the oceans is modulated by various processes, including biological (primary production and respiration, calcification, and dissolution) and physio-chemical processes (CO2 solubility and mixing). In this study we investigated the spatial and temporal dynamics and the drivers of pCO2 in the North Sea, a shallow shelf sea. We conducted a match-up exercise of ocean color observations from the multispectral Sentinel-3 (A/B) mission with ship-based measurements of pCO2, collected within the Belgian Integrated Carbon Observing System (ICOS) program operated since 2018 on 2 in-situ measurement platforms. We further explored the added value of hyperspectral marine reflectance and bio-optical measurements obtained from an autonomous underway system aboard the RV Simon Stevin that was recently put in operation. This study provides new insights in our understanding of the spatiotemporal drivers of pCO2 and contributes to closing the carbon budget of the North Sea in support of blue carbon accounting and climate mitigation efforts.

*Andrea van Langen Rosón, Gent University, Belgium, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2636-1391

Griet Neukermans, Gent University, Belgium, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8258-3590

Peter Landschützer, Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Belgium, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7398-3293

Clémence Goyens, Gent University, Belgium, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8036-6082

Thanos Gkritzalis, Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Belgium, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7897-4230

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