KERFIX, a time-series station in the Southern Ocean: a presentation

Between January 1990 and March 1995, the research project KERFIX undertook the first regular noncoastal multiyear acquisition of parameters related to the carbon cycle in the Southern Ocean at a time series station located at 50 degrees 40' S-68 degrees 25' E, 60 miles southwest of the Kerguelen Isl ands. The objectives of KERFIX are (1) to monitor the ocean/atmosphere CO2 and O-2 exchanges and to understand which processes govern these exchanges (2) to observe and interpret the seasonal and interannual variability of th e production, flux, decomposition and dissolution of carbon and associated elements at this location. In addition, micropaleontological studies descri be the present and past flux dynamics in this oceanic area, to improve the knowledge of the transfer functions of some oceanographic proxies. This pap er presents a survey of the KERFIX program: scientific objectives, organiza tion of the field operations and some main results obtained since the begin ning of KERFIX program, as well as the results of the temporal evolution of hydrological, chemical and biological parameters.