NEMO3.4 -- BLINGv0, an ocean-sea ice-biogeochemical model for the study of gasses and ocean productivity

BLINGv0 (Biogeochemistry with Light, Iron, Nutrient, and Gasses) is a biogeochemical model that empirically calculates community production and explicitly simulates the biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), oxygen (O),... [ view full abstract ]

BLINGv0 (Biogeochemistry with Light, Iron, Nutrient, and Gasses) is a biogeochemical model that empirically calculates community production and explicitly simulates the biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), oxygen (O), phosphate (P), and iron (Fe). There are 6 prognostic tracers including P, O and the carbonate chemistry. The formulations for growth are based on a mixed Monod-quota scheme, specifically, a in-cell fixed Redfield stoichiometry of C/P, but variable Fe quota. Ocean productivity and phytoplankton growth are limited by the ambient macronutrient concentrations, light, temperature and the internal availability of Fe. Iron will also limit the light harvesting capacity of phytoplankton, and slow down photosynthesis if in low quantities. BLINGv0 can be used with either regional or global configurations of NEMO, at both high or low resolution. Here, we evaluate BLINGv0 with a regional configuration of NEMO at a ¼ degree resolution. We focus on the temporal variations of surface ocean productivity and oxygen ventilation of subsurface waters. The coupled model is run for 51 years, over 1958-2008.