Research

Our primary research focus centers on the examination of water mass transport mechanisms within the ocean. We employ transient tracers to elucidate the pathways, mixing dynamics, and temporal scales governing ocean circulation and ventilation, with a specific emphasis on the Arctic and North Atlantic regions. Our overarching objective is to assess the oceans' capacity to sequester anthropogenic carbon. Our methodology involves a comprehensive array of tracers characterized by distinct sources, release histories, and physico-chemical behaviors. These include long-lived radionuclides of artificial origin (²³⁶U and ¹²⁹I), naturally occurring atmospheric isotopes (¹⁴C and ³⁹Ar), and anthropogenic gases (CFC-12 and SF₆). Our interdisciplinary approach encompasses diverse activities such as sample collection during ocean expeditions, radiochemical analysis of seawater, tracer measurement utilizing cutting-edge techniques, and the integration of results into various modeling frameworks.