The interannual variations of CO2 sources and sinks in the surface waters of the Antarctic Ocean (south of 50°S) were studied between 1986 and 1994. An existing, slightly modified one-dimensional model describing the mixed-layer carbon cycle was used for this study and forced by available satellite-derived and climatological data. Between 1986 and 1994, the mean Antarctic Ocean CO2 uptake was 0.53 Pg C year-1 with an interannual variability of 0.15 Pg C year-1. Interannual variation of the Antarctic Ocean CO2 uptake is related to the Antarctic Circumpolar Wave (ACW), which affects sea surface temperature (SST), wind-speed and sea-ice extent. The CO2 uptake in the Antarctic Ocean has increased from 1986 to 1994 by 0.32 Pg C. It was found that over the 9 years, the surface ocean carbon dioxide fugacity (fCO2) increase was half that of the atmospheric CO2 increase inducing an increase of the air-sea fCO2 gradient. This effect is responsible for 60% of the Antarctic Ocean CO2 uptake increase between 1986 and 1994, as the ACW effect cancels out over the 9 years investigated. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.