Strong Relationship Between DMS and the Solar Radiation Dose over the Global Surface Ocean

Vallina, Sergio M.; Simó, Rafel

doi:10.1126/science.1133680

Cited by 283 publications

(303 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Vallina and Simó [39] have indicated a strong correlation between DMS concentrations in the upper ocean and the solar radiation dose, which supports one of the tenets of the CLAW hypothesis, namely that increased solar radiation will enhance the DMS flux. However, whether this enhanced DMS flux results in a negative feedback via an impact on the cloud albedo remains an open question.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 52%

Sea-salt particles and the CLAW hypothesis

Smith¹

2007

Environ. Chem.

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Environmental context. When proposing that dimethyl sulfide (DMS) releases from phytoplankton had a role in regulating the global climate, the potential parallel influences of sea spray aerosols on climate were largely disregarded. Over the intervening 20 years, scientific studies have clearly demonstrated a substantial role for sea spray particles in modifying cloud properties and influencing global sulfur cycling, diminishing the significance of the DMS-based CLAW mechanism.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 52%

Sea-salt particles and the CLAW hypothesis

Smith¹

2007

Environ. Chem.

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“…0.15uC or kg m 23 from the surface reference value (2 m depth). For each radiation band, subsurface irradiance, vertically integrated irradiance in the mixed layer (Vallina and Simó 2007), and that at the bottom of the mixed layer were computed for the duration of each experiment (Fig. 1).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the global scale, this seems to translate into a strong correlation between average irradiance in the upper mixed layer and DMS concentrations (Vallina and Simó 2007;Lana et al 2012). Algal DMSP synthesis has been interpreted as a physiological adaptation to high light and nutrient limitation.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Twenty-five years ago, a paradigmchanging paper (Charlson et al 1987) proposed that, if DMS emission resulted in increased cloud albedo and, in turn, it responded positively to irradiance or temperature, a negative feedback would operate between oceanic plankton and the earth's radiative budget. Since the so-called CLAW hypothesis (after the author's initials) was postulated, several studies have unveiled the complexity of oceanic DMS cycling (Simó 2004;Stefels et al 2007) and, although the feasibility of the whole hypothesis remains controversial (Quinn and Bates 2011), there is a growing body of evidence pointing at solar radiation as a major driver of DMS cycling (Simó 2004;Vallina and Simó 2007;Lana et al 2012).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Spectral irradiance dependence of sunlight effects on plankton dimethylsulfide production

Galí¹,

Ruiz‐González²,

Lefort³

et al. 2013

Limnology & Oceanography

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We investigated the short-term effects of variable solar irradiance and spectrum on the gross biological production of dimethylsulfide (DMS), a trace gas with potential climatic effects, in eight experiments performed at different times of the year in a northwest Mediterranean coastal site. Experimentally determined net community DMS production, DMS photolysis, and dark microbial DMS consumption rates were used to calculate gross community DMS production by budgeting. In addition, the composition of the bacterioplankton and phytoplankton communities in the initial samples, and the photoinhibition of bulk bacterial heterotrophic activity and phytoplankton photosynthetic efficiency were monitored. Our results show that: (1) gross DMS production is irradiance dependent, with a maximum short-term stimulation factor of 2-to 6-fold compared to dark incubations; (2) its spectral shape is variable but generally similar to that of phytoplankton photoinhibition or photodamage, with more effective stimulation at shorter ultraviolet wavelengths; and (3) stronger stimulation occurs when samples are overexposed with respect to their prior exposure. Remarkably, the photoresponse of gross DMS production was in most cases strong enough to (at least) compensate the photochemical DMS loss at the water subsurface. Such response would prevent DMS depletion in stratified and highly irradiated waters. Since the initial microbial communities were representative of meso-to oligotrophic conditions, our observations should apply to a wide variety of oceanic regimes.

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“…The analysis of a global DMS database as well as local DMS time series (BATS in the Sargasso Sea and Blanes Blay in the NW Mediterranean) have revealed that the solar radiation dose in the upper mixed layer (or SRD) is the climatic factor that seems to drive DMS dynamics. [2][3][4] maximum in surface waters, even in regions where a phytoplankton biomass proxy like chlorophyll-a (CHL) shows an annual minimum in summer [5][6][7] (subtropical and low temperate regions), a feature known as the DMS summer-paradox. [8] The SRD is highly related to the ultraviolet radiation (UVR) dose in the upper mixed layer of the ocean.…”

Section: What Is the Climatic Factor That Drives Oceanic Dms Productimentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-visiting the CLAW hypothesis

Vallina

Simó

2007

Environ. Chem.

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Environmental context. Over the last twenty years, large and continued research efforts have been invested in deciphering whether oceanic plankton contribute to the regulation of climate by the production and release of cloud-seeding atmospheric sulfur. Our recent research using globally spread observations and satellite-derived data suggest that biogenic sulfur from the oceans represents a major source of cloud-forming aerosols over much of the pristine southern hemisphere oceans. These climate-cooling sulfur emissions respond positively to incoming solar radiation over seasonal cycles, but show a weak response to anthropogenic global warming foreseen for the current century.A global negative feedback between biogenic dimethylsulfide (DMS) production by the upper-ocean ecosystems and Earth climate has been suggested to occur through the formation of cloud-forming sulfur aerosols in the troposphere and their impact on cloud albedo and the Earth radiative balance.[1] The so-called CLAW hypothesis, although suggestive and not refuted by evidence hitherto, is still highly speculative and some of its main postulates remain unproven. In this essay we seek to contribute to the current knowledge of the oceanic biogenic sulfur cycle and its potential impact on climate by addressing some relevant open questions regarding the CLAW hypothesis.

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Strong Relationship Between DMS and the Solar Radiation Dose over the Global Surface Ocean

Cited by 283 publications

References 24 publications

Sea-salt particles and the CLAW hypothesis

Sea-salt particles and the CLAW hypothesis

Spectral irradiance dependence of sunlight effects on plankton dimethylsulfide production

Re-visiting the CLAW hypothesis

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