This study investigates carbonate system dynamics and the influence of water masses in the central basin of the Bransfield Strait, a key transitional zone at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. During austral summer 2019, the water column of the Bransfield Strait was largely dominated by Transitional Weddell Water (TWW), with warm and fresh Transitional Bellingshausen Water (TBW) observed in the surface layers, and localized intrusions of Modified Circumpolar Deep Water (mCDW) near the South Shetland Islands. TBW had the highest pH and highest calcium carbonate saturation states, while mCDW had the lowest pH and least saturated conditions. Seasonal uptake in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) was primarily attributed to physical mixing and biological activity, while calcium carbonate cycling acted as a net sink and source of DIC, but contributed very little overall to the seasonal change to DIC. A significant residual DIC term indicated a likely summer drawdown of atmospheric CO₂, suggesting the region may act as a net CO₂ sink in summertime. These findings provide new baselines for important carbonate system variables for the different water masses in the Bransfield Strait, and highlight key processes driving seasonal DIC and TA variability in a rapidly changing polar environment.
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