#O08 SeaIceBGC

Abstract

A new capability to simulate global sea-ice biogeochemistry (BGC) has been added to the ACME model. Although ice diatoms form the basis of the early spring polar ecosystem and they visibly color the sea ice, their inclusion in earth system models is in infancy. This is, in part, because most ice BGC models are based on region specific assumptions, such as restricting algal biomass to the ice bottom, and are not applicable to global scales. In our model, BGC tracers are resolved in three spatial dimensions, and we allow micro- and macro-scale physical processes to influence molecular transport and reactive processes. As a result our model is consistent with distinct differences observed in the locations and abundance of Arctic and Southern Ocean ice chlorophyll. Preliminary results are from the ACME biogeochemistry G-CASE simulation.