Sea Spray Aerosol: The Chemical Link between the Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climate

Cochran, Richard E.; Ryder, O. S.; Grassian, Vicki H.; Prather, Kimberly A.

doi:10.1021/acs.accounts.6b00603

Cited by 95 publications

(114 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Ranging in size from submicrometer to a few micrometers (Lewis & Schwartz, ), it contains both inorganic (sea salts) and organic materials. SSA accounts for approximately 1 − 3 × 10 16 g/year (Erickson & Duce, ; Gong, ) of the global aerosol mass, making it one of the major types of particulate matter in the atmosphere (Cochran et al, ; De Leeuw et al, ; Grini et al, ; Lewis & Schwartz, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal‐Scale Analysis of Environmental Controls on Sea Spray Aerosol Production Over the South Pacific Gyre

Dror

Lehahn

Altaratz

et al. 2018

Geophysical Research Letters

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An understanding of sea spray aerosol (SSA) production is needed to better assess its influence on climate. Using satellite data, we investigated the production of the coarse mode of aerosol optical depth (AODc), a proxy for SSA, over the pristine South Pacific Gyre. The analysis was done on three time scales: daily, seasonal, and interannual. Scale‐dependent links were shown between the AODc and wind speed (W). AODc and W were positively correlated on both daily and interannual time scales but were significantly anticorrelated on the seasonal time scale. Seasonality of the AODc − W link suggests contribution of other environmental factors. The main variable that could statistically explain trends in AODc on the seasonal time scale was chlorophyll a concentration, which showed a clear negative correlation with AODc. The AODc yield per W unit was clearly reduced when chlorophyll a concentration was high, suggesting a secondary, but important influence of marine biological activity on SSA production.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal‐Scale Analysis of Environmental Controls on Sea Spray Aerosol Production Over the South Pacific Gyre

Dror

Lehahn

Altaratz

et al. 2018

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…[1] Breaking waves formed through wind-driven mechanisms generate air bubbles that scavenge organic matter from the surrounding sea water. When ejected into the atmosphere, these bubbles burst, yielding sea spray aerosols (SSA) enriched in organic matter, relative to the sea water.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To better understand the biogeochemical connections between the ocean and atmosphere, it is critical to improve our understanding of the processes that control SSA composition in order to determine their effects on atmospheric chemistry and climate. [1] The sea surface microlayer, defined as the uppermost tens to hundreds of micrometres of the ocean surface, is a thin film between the ocean and the atmosphere. It covers more than 70 % of the Earth's surface.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of anions on the surface organisation of lipid monolayers at the air–water interface

Wang

2017

Environ. Chem.

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Environmental context. Lipids released from lysis of phytoplankton cells are enriched in the sea surface microlayer. Such surface-active organics can be transferred through bursting bubbles to sea-spray aerosols where they can influence atmospheric chemistry. The results presented here suggest that phospholipids combine more readily with SO 4 2À than with Br À , leading to enrichment of organic-coated sulfate salts in marine aerosols.Abstract. Inorganic salts and organic matter are known to be present at higher levels in the sea surface microlayer and marine aerosols; however, the impact of common anions on their surface properties is not well understood. Here, a 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) monolayer was enriched with the sodium and ammonium salts of different anions (Br À , Cl À , NO 3 À , SO 4 2À , CH 3 COO À , and HCO 3 À ), and the effects on the surface properties of the monolayer were investigated. The monolayer phase behaviour and the structure of the lipid phases were studied by surface pressure-area (p-A) isotherms and infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS). The presence of salts in the subphase was found to increase the surface pressure of the DPPC monolayer at a fixed area per molecule. The effect of the anions follows the order of the Hofmeister series. The higher concentration of salt solution caused the p-A isotherm to shift to larger area. The IRRAS spectra demonstrate that the ordering of the DPPC molecules in the liquid condensed phase remains essentially unaffected, even at higher electrolyte concentrations. DPPC molecules combined with SO 4 2À could be transferred from the ocean to sea spray aerosol. The present study finds that the anions have significant influence on the surface organisation and, consequently, the interfacial properties, of the surface-active species at the air-water interface, a finding that has further implications for atmospheric aerosol nucleation.

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“…On the remaining study days, prevailing southeasterlies transported marine aerosols from the GBR and adjacent Coral and Tasman Seas to Heron Island. This is supported by positive correlations between particle number concentration and WS, which suggests that particles in the observed size range (≥0.5 μm) were dominated by wind‐driven emissions of sea spray aerosols (SSA) (Cochran et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…Photochemical oxidation is a strong sink of DMS a and source of sulfate aerosol precursors in summer at midday at Heron Island (Figure 3a). Condensation of DMS‐derived sulfates on existing aerosol surfaces can alter the chemical composition of aerosols and contribute to growth to CCN activation sizes (Cochran et al, 2017; Grythe et al, 2014; O'Dowd & de Leeuw, 2007). Thus, existing fine particles consisting of fine SSA (< 0.5 μm), organics and biogenic sulfates from upwind oceanic sources, can continue to grow via aqueous‐phase oxidation in cloud droplets and condensation of DMS‐derived sulfates in the southern GBR.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coral Reef Emissions of Atmospheric Dimethylsulfide and the Influence on Marine Aerosols in the Southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia

et al. 2020

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Variability in atmospheric dimethylsulfide (DMSa) and the potential influence on atmospheric aerosols was investigated at Heron Island in the southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia. This work compiles previously published DMSa data (reported in Swan, Jones, Deschaseaux, & Eyre, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-017-0385-8), with additional surveys of DMSa, atmospheric particle number concentration, and other oceanic and atmospheric data sets. DMSa was higher in summer (mean 3.2 nmol m−3/78 ppt) than winter (mean 1.3 nmol m−3/32 ppt), reflective of seasonal shifts in phytoplankton biomass and emissions from corals in the southern GBR. Seasonally extreme spikes in DMSa were detected during low tide and low wind speed, supporting findings that the coral reef can be an important source of DMSa above background oceanic emissions. A significant link was present between DMSa and aerosol concentration (ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 μm) during calm, daylight hours, when conditions were optimal for the local oxidation of DMSa to sulfate aerosol precursors. This link may reflect condensational growth of existing fine particles (< 0.5 μm), which is the dominant pathway by which biogenic trace gases influence aerosols in the marine boundary layer. Aerosol concentration significantly correlated with reduced surface solar irradiance and sea surface temperature, which is potential evidence of a local negative feedback mitigating coral physiological stress. These findings provide a step toward a better understanding of the processes influencing DMSa and aerosol concentrations and of the consequences for the local radiative balance over coral reefs; an increasingly important topic with ongoing ocean warming and coral bleaching.

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Sea Spray Aerosol: The Chemical Link between the Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climate

Cited by 95 publications

References 40 publications

Temporal‐Scale Analysis of Environmental Controls on Sea Spray Aerosol Production Over the South Pacific Gyre

Temporal‐Scale Analysis of Environmental Controls on Sea Spray Aerosol Production Over the South Pacific Gyre

Impact of anions on the surface organisation of lipid monolayers at the air–water interface

Coral Reef Emissions of Atmospheric Dimethylsulfide and the Influence on Marine Aerosols in the Southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia

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