Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2023-89
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2023-89
Submitted as: development and technical paper
 | 
16 May 2023
Submitted as: development and technical paper |  | 16 May 2023
Status: this preprint is currently under review for the journal GMD.

A high-resolution marine mercury model MITgcm-ECCO2-Hg with online biogeochemistry

Siyu Zhu, Peipei Wu, Siyi Zhang, Oliver Jahn, and Yanxu Zhang

Abstract. Mercury (Hg) is a global persistent contaminant. Modeling studies are useful means of synthesizing a current understanding of the Hg cycle. Previous studies mainly use coarse-resolution models, which makes it impossible to analyze the role of turbulence in the Hg cycle and inaccurately describes the transport of kinetic energy. Furthermore, all of them are coupled with offline biogeochemistry, so they cannot respond to short-term variability in oceanic Hg concentration. Here we use a high-resolution (horizontal resolution is 1/5°) ocean model (MITgcm-ECCO2, high-resolution-MITgcm) coupled with the online biogeochemistry of Darwin project to simulate the global Hg cycle. The finer portrayal of surface Hg concentrations in estuarine and coastal areas, strong western boundary flow and upwelling areas, and concentration diffusion as vortex shapes demonstrate the effects of turbulence that are neglected in previous models. Ecological events such as algal blooms can cause a sudden enhancement of phytoplankton biomass and chlorophyll concentrations, which can also result in a dramatic change in particle-bound mercury sinking flux at the same time in our simulation. In the global estuary region, the inclusion of riverine Hg input in the high-resolution model allows us to reveal the outward spread of Hg in an eddy shape driven by fine-scale ocean currents. With faster current velocities and diffusion rates, our model captures the transport and mixing of Hg from river discharge in a more accurate and detailed way and improves our understanding of Hg cycle in the ocean.

Siyu Zhu et al.

Status: open (until 11 Jul 2023)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse

Siyu Zhu et al.

Viewed

Total article views: 147 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total Supplement BibTeX EndNote
111 33 3 147 15 0 0
  • HTML: 111
  • PDF: 33
  • XML: 3
  • Total: 147
  • Supplement: 15
  • BibTeX: 0
  • EndNote: 0
Views and downloads (calculated since 16 May 2023)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 16 May 2023)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 142 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 142 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 05 Jun 2023
Download
Short summary
In this study, we estimate the global biogeochemical cycling of Hg in a state-of-the-art physical‐ecosystem ocean model (High-resolution-MITgcm/Hg), providing a more accurate portrayal of surface Hg concentrations in estuarine and coastal areas, strong western boundary flow and upwelling areas, and concentration diffusion as vortex shapes. The high-resolution model can help us better predict the transport and fate of Hg in the ocean and its impact on the global Hg cycle.