Box Modal
- General
- Steady State
- First Order & Function
 sub Fout into General
At Steady State
Tres
Concentration Depth Profile
Examples
- Conservative
- Scavenging -particulate
& Sticky with organic
- Nutrients
Spatial variability
- Residence time
- Ocean mixing time
Terms & Concepts
Mg -- conservative -- long Tres
Al – scavenging – short Tres
Dissolved <0.45<particulate
Ocean mixing time:-1000yrs
Week3 | Chemical Oceanography & Mass Balance
Ocean
- Large reservoir
-
- Large scale Biochemical Cycle
-
- Phytoplankton & Photosynthesis
-
- Sediments records (e.g.BIF)
-
Elements Speciation – Link to Concentration
- Smallest -> Truly dissolved (passes through 0.45 um filter)
- Largest -> Particulate (anything bigger)
- Middle -> Colloidal
- *Observed both high dFe & pFe around hydrothermal vents  Colloids
Concentration of Elements
- Variability: Spatial & Periodity
Salinity = ‘Conservative Tracer’
- Trace the mixing of water  Ocean circulation
Temperature & Salinity coeffect on Ocean Circulation (Salinity Depth profile)
AAIW AAIW: Surface water & Fresh water input
NADW: High Salinity but Warmer
NADW
AABW: Low Salinity but Colder
AABW
Box Modal
- Fin: river, hydrothermal fluids, dust, atmosphere | - Fout: sediments
- Fout: is a function of ocean concentrationnegative feedback
- Tres= 1/k, also, Tres= Inventory/Fin OR Tres= Inventory/Fout
- *Steady State Concentration depends on Input flux (Fin) and Rate of removal (k)
Concentration Depth Profile (Tres Compare to Ocean Mixing Time-1000 yrs)
- Conservative-Mg, no spatial variability (Large inventory, Long Tres, )
- Scavenging- Al, high Surface, low middle, increase deeper
 Particulate matter (Often coated with organic molecules)  Dust  High Surface
 No dustno fresh water inputLow Middle
 DeepwaterDeep Ocean Circulation Increasing Deeper
Scavenging-Major processes for Al (Constant of removal by scavenging  tiny InventoryLow
Tres)
- High at surface Fin wins (High Fin > High k )
- Decreasing at middlek wins (Low Fin < Low k)
- Increasing at deeper  Fin from dissolution particles due to ocean circulation
Depth profile of N Atlantic is different (>>) N Pacific  due to freshwater input & dust
Summary:
Tres = (MAocean/Fin); Residential time is Elemental Inventory / Flux IN or OUT
Long Tres (e.g. Mg-13.2Ma)Spatially constant, responds slowly to perturbations
Short Tres (e.g. Al-156yrs) Spatially variable, responds quickly to perturbations
Whole ocean Mass Balance maintained by negative feedback, removal flux, Fout = f(C)
ESSENTIAL FORMULA: τres = M ocean / Fin
A
Be careful! Units when doing calculations
MAocean = CAocean × Mwater
FAin. mol yr-1 FAout mol yr-1
Moles mol kg-1 kg
Exercise week3.1 Q7

1. How are the very different oceanic residence times of Mg and Al reflected in their oceanic depth profiles? Sketch an
example profile for each element.

Magnesium has a conservative oceanic depth profile, because its residence time is much longer than the mixing
time of the ocean (~1000 years).
Aluminium has a scavenged-type depth profile, because it is removed more quickly than the oceanic mixing
time.
Mg Al

Depth
Depth

Mg- conservative depth profile

Al