Fig. 3: Comparison of lateral nitrogen supply to observed export production in the upper euphotic zone.
From: Lateral advection supports nitrogen export in the oligotrophic open-ocean Gulf of Mexico
Satellite lateral particulate organic nitrogen (PON) flux was calculated from 8-day composite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Terra/Aqua imagery during the month of May (2002–2019) with flow fields prescribed by OSCAR circulation. NEMURO-GOM fluxes were calculated separately for each nitrogen pool (italicized) and summed for total lateral fluxes. NEMURO-GOM vertical fluxes are integrated for the upper euphotic zone and include upwelling and turbulent mixing but not export by sinking particles. Positive flux values indicate net input into the integration volume. Flux values are normalized to lateral area. Boxes were determined from the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of the data, with whiskers indicating the limits of data extending 1.5x the interquartile range of the data.
