2012 Ocean Sciences Meeting

2012 Ocean Sciences Meeting
20–24 February 2012
Location: Salt Lake City – Utah – USA

For further information: http://www.sgmeet.com/osm2012/

Relevant sessions:
 

*057: Biogeochemical Cycling of Micronutrient Trace Elements

Organizers: Maeve Lohan, University of Plymouth; Andrew Bowie, Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems CRC; Toshi Gamo, Univeristy of Toyko; Greg Cutter, Old Dominion University 

There is growing international interest (e.g., GEOTRACES, SOLAS, IMBER) to identify processes and quantify fluxes that control the distributions of key trace elements and isotopes in the ocean and to establish the sensitivity of these distributions to changing environmental conditions. This session will focus on the trace elements that serve as micronutrients (e.g., Fe, Cu, Co, Zn, etc), the availability of which influence the biogeochemical activity of marine organisms, control the structure of ocean ecosystems and hence regulate the ocean carbon cycle. We also welcome presentation of data on diagnostic trace elements (e.g., Al, Mn, rare earths, etc) and isotopes that help characterise micronutrient sources and sinks. Submissions are invited which focus on micronutrients and diagnostic tracers in different phases (dissolved, particulate, speciation) that have been studied both along ocean sections from different ocean basins and in the context of process studies. We also welcome abstracts focusing on the numerical modeling of micronutrients to quantify lateral and vertical transports, as well as biogeochemical sources and sinks.

View the complete abstracts of the oral and poster presentations.

 
*049: Advances in the Oceanography of Trace Elements and Isotopes in the Atlantic and Polar Oceans

Organizers: Micha Rijkenberg, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research; Rob Middag, University of California Santa Cruz; Stephanie Owens, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Patricia Cámara Mor, Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona

The dynamic hydrography of Atlantic, Arctic and Antarctic Oceans is key to the distribution of trace elements in the global oceans. Trace elements like iron play a pivotal role in controlling ocean productivity and therefore global climate. Moreover, several Trace Elements and Isotopes (TEIs; stable or radioactive; natural or anthropogenic) serve as important tracers for unraveling ocean processes and turnover rates. Novel ultraclean rapid sampling systems and international reference samples facilitate measurement of TEIs along deep ocean sections in unprecedented high spatial resolution, coverage and accuracy. For example, the international effort resulted in the thus far longest 13000 kilometer full depth ocean section of TEIs in the Atlantic basin. Intercalibration at crossover stations further confirms accuracy between cruises. The high resolution and multi-tracer approaches produces novel relationships among TEIs and other tracers, and reveals details not seen before. This in turn leads to shifts of paradigms. For example, hydrothermal supply of iron and manganese appears more important for ocean inventory budgets than previously realized. For this session we like to invite topics on TEIs in the Atlantic and polar oceans, including methods, intercalibration, field data and ocean modeling. Relevant topics in other oceans are most welcome as well.

View the abstracts of the oral and poster presentations.

*005: Metal Speciation in the Ocean: Metal-Binding ligand composition and role in the transport of metals through the marine environment 

Organizers: Sylvia Sander, University of Otago; Constant van den Berg, University of Liverpool; Kristen Buck, Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences

The biogenic trace metals iron, cobalt, zinc, nickel and copper are complexed by organic ligands in the marine system, which can influence trace metal solubility and bioavailability. Little is known about the composition of these metal-binding ligands, although siderophores, thiols, humic substances and saccharides have been identified. There is evidence that this organic complexation helps transport trace metals from their source (hydrothermal vents, estuaries, etc.) to the open ocean. Dynamic aspects related to photochemical changes in metal speciation are also being recognised. This session welcomes abstract submissions related to all aspects of metal speciation in the oceans, and particularly to identifying sources and cycling processes of metal-binding ligands. 

View the complete abstract of the oral and poster presentations.
 

*166: Redox and Coordination Chemistry of Iron Marine Systems

Organizers: James Moffett, University of Southern California; Katherine Barbeau, UC San Diego

Iron undergoes redox cycling between Fe(II) and Fe(III), and is strongly complexed by organic ligands. In the upper ocean, organically complexed forms predominate and ultimately determine the reactivity and biological availability of iron. Fe(II) is produced through biological and photochemical processes and may at times be the predominant inorganic form of iron, even in oxygenated waters. Recent evidence suggests that the coordination environment of iron created through organic complexation may influence the kinetics and thermodynamics of redox cycling. This session is directed at investigators who are studying iron redox and complexation processes at the molecular level, and how those processes interactively influence biological iron utilization and cycling in diverse marine environments. Both field and laboratory-based investigations are of interest. While the session is focused on iron, studies of related processes with other transition metals are also welcome.

View the complete abstract of the oral and poster presentations.

*EVW09: US Arctic GEOTRACES (Town Hall)
Wednesday February 22, 18:00 – 21:00, Room 151 A, B, C, G

Organizers: David Kadko, University of Miami; Robert Anderson, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

GEOTRACES is an international program focused on understanding the cycling of trace elements and isotopes in the oceans. Since the inception of this program, there has been strong interest in carrying out studies in the Arctic Ocean. The Arctic Ocean is at the epicenter of climate change, and warming climate will likely have a profound impact on the carbon budget, geochemical cycles, and ecosystem of the Arctic. Furthermore, these changes will ultimately be felt globally, through feedbacks related, for example, to melting ice and release of carbon from permafrost. This interest has led to national and international discussions, and planning has begun for a multi-national, multi-icebreaker, GEOTRACES field effort to the Arctic likely in 2015. The US will be an active participant in this endeavor. The purpose of this meeting is to provide an update on the status of the planning process and to solicit input from the community.

*EVT15: ConCOAC: Connecting Chemical Oceanography with Analytical Chemistry (Town Hall)
Tuesday February 21, 18:00 – 21:00, Ballroom J

Organizers: Chris Measures, University of Hawaii; Maxime Grand, University of Hawaii.

We are developing a new program to connect experts from analytical chemistry with oceanographers to adapt newly available technology to the determination of parameters in seawater that are of interest to oceanography. The goal of the town hall is to alert the broader community to our open science meeting, the first component of this new program. We seek community input into workshop design particularly from young scientists who will become active members of this bridge between the fields.