Comparison of ten packages that compute ocean carbonate chemistry.
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Date
2015Author
Orr, J.C.
Epitalon, J.-M.
Gattuso, J.-P.
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Marine scientists often use two measured or modeled carbonate system variables to compute others. These
carbonate chemistry calculations, based on well-known thermodynamic equilibria, are now available in a dozen pub-
lic packages. Ten of those were compared using common
input data and the set of equilibrium constants recommended for best practices. Current versions of all 10 pack-
ages agree within 0.2 μatm pCO2, 0.0002 units for pH,and 0.1 μmol kg−1 for CO2−3 in terms of surface zonal-mean
values. That represents more than a 10-fold improvement relative to outdated versions of the same packages. Differences
between packages grow with depth for some computed variables but remain small. Discrepancies derive largely from
differences in equilibrium constants. Analysis of the sensitivity of each computed variable to changes in each constant reveals the general dominance of K1 and K2 but also the comparable sensitivity to KB for the AT–CT.....
Resource URL
www.biogeosciences.net/12/1483/2015/Journal
BiogeosciencesVolume
12Page Range
pp.1483–1510Document Language
enSustainable Development Goals (SDG)
14.ABest Practice Type
Best PracticeGuide
DOI Original
10.5194/bg-12-1483-2015Citation
Orr, J.C.; Epitalon, J-M. and Gattuo, J-P. (2015) Comparison of ten packages that compute ocean carbonate chemistry. Biogeosciences, 12, pp.1483-1510. DOI:10.5194/bg-12-1483-2015Collections
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