Results from the first US-GEOTRACES cruise in the North Atlantic

Results from the first US-GEOTRACES cruise in the North Atlantic are coming out! Andrew Wozniak and co-authors show that aerosols from European-influenced air masses (combustion influenced) have higher relative iron (Fe) and aluminium (Al) solubilities, higher Water Soluble Organic Carbon (WSOC)/trace metal ratios, and distinct organic matter (OM) chemical characteristics compared to those from North African-influenced (mineral dust) air masses (see Figure below). Many factors influencing the solubility of trace metals are discussed. However, the data shown in this work are consistent with an important role for carboxylate aerosol water soluble OM (WSOM) ligands in determining the solubility of Fe and Al in continentally-derived aerosols.

13 Wozniak h
Figure: Aerosol trace metal loadings, fractional solubilities, and water soluble organic carbon to trace metal ratios for aerosol a) Fe and b) Al in samples characterized by North African (brown), European (green), and marine (blue) air mass trajectories. Please click here to view the image larger.

 

Reference:

Andrew S. Wozniak, Rachel U. Shelley, Rachel L. Sleighter, Hussain A.N. Abdulla, Peter L. Morton, William M. Landing, Patrick G. Hatcher (2013) Relationships among aerosol water soluble organic matter, iron and aluminum in European, North African, and Marine air masses from the 2010 US GEOTRACES cruise, Marine Chemistry, Volume: 154, 24-33, DOI: 10.1016/j.marchem.2013.04.011

Latest highlights

Overlooked riverine contributions of dissolved neodymium and hafnium to the Amazon estuary and oceans

Xu and colleagues investigated the isotopic composition of dissolved neodymium and hafnium along the entire salinity gradient of the Amazon estuary.

Pulling back the veil on reversible scavenging of lead

This work further contains the role that reversible scavenging may play in the cycling of lead in the ocean, an ever-evolving global experiment where lead contamination can be tracked in real-time.

Extremely high radioactive levels in the manganese nodules

Volz and co-authors demonstrate that radioisotopes in the manganese nodules mostly exceed exempt activity levels…

The North Pacific Ocean, a key actor for the zinc oceanic cycle

Sieber and his colleagues lift the veil on some of the mechanisms that control the behavior of zinc in the Pacific Ocean, and more globally.

Rechercher