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Distribution and variability of iron input to Oregon coastal waters during the upwelling season

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Title Distribution and variability of iron input to Oregon coastal waters during the upwelling season
Names Chase, Zanna (creator)
Hales, Burke (creator)
Cowles, Timothy J. (creator)
Schwartz, Roseanne (creator)
van Geen, Alexander (creator)
Date Issued 2005-09-09 (iso8601)
Note Copyrighted by American Geophysical Union.
Abstract We measured iron concentrations off the Oregon coast in spring (May–June) and
summer (August) of 2001 as part of the Coastal Ocean Advances in Shelf Transport
(COAST) program. Dissolvable and total dissolvable iron levels in surface waters were
generally higher in spring (mean of 2.1 and 33.9 nmol L¯¹, respectively) than in summer
(means of 1.4 and 15.4 nmol L¯¹). In spring and summer, high iron concentrations in
surface waters were associated with both cold and saline, recently upwelled waters, and
with fresh, relatively warm water influenced by the Columbia River. Comparison of total
dissolvable iron in 0.45 μm filtered and in unfiltered samples indicated a substantial
contribution from particulate iron. Iron concentrations in summer were generally lower than
in spring throughout the water column, with the exception of the near-bottom, where
concentrations were generally higher in summer than spring. Optical backscatter data from
moored sensors were used to infer the vertical and cross-shelf transport of iron-bearing
particles during the upwelling season over a steep shelf. Cross-correlation analysis showed
downslope movement of particles from the deep inner shelf to the deep midshelf. There
was also evidence for sinking of biogenic particles at the midshelf and inner shelf, but we
found no evidence of upslope transport of benthic particles. Sufficient iron is available in
this system to meet the demands of the phytoplankton, which are able to make full use
of available nitrate.
Genre Article
Topic iron
Identifier Chase, Z., B. Hales, T. J. Cowles, R. Schwartz, and A. van Green (2005), Distribution and variability of iron input to Oregon coastal waters during the upwelling season, J. Geophys. Res., 110, C10S12.

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