Hi this is Cat!
In May this year, I had the pleasure of spending 10 days at sea on the R/V Shinsei Maru. Together with researchers from other universities, Wataru and I explored the Kuroshio Extension (KE) region located in the Western North Pacific Ocean.
The KE plays an important role in global ocean circulation and regional climate variability. Importantly, the KE region is the strongest sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide in the North Pacific Ocean. Particularly, the formation of North Pacific Subtropical Mode Water (STMW). The surface layer of the ocean cools in winter, drawing down lots of carbon dioxide because it is more soluble in cold waters. This carbon-rich layer subducts into the deep ocean and is removed from the atmosphere.
I am measuring the radiocarbon content of the seawater I collected to better understand STMW mixing processes. We collected water samples from two stations using a CTD attached to a rosette sampler.
We planned to collect more samples (6 stations) but had to change our plan due to bad weather. I am grateful to the captain of the ship for navigating the poor conditions and always keeping us safe.
