The Atlantic Ocean surface microlayer from 50°N to 50°S is ubiquitously enriched in surfactants at wind speeds up to 13 m s−1

Sabbaghzadeh, B, Upstill-Goddard, RC, Beale, R, Pereira, R and Nightingale, PD 2017 The Atlantic Ocean surface microlayer from 50°N to 50°S is ubiquitously enriched in surfactants at wind speeds up to 13 m s−1. Geophysical Research Letters, 44. 7, pp. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL072988

Preview

Text Sabbaghzadeh_et_al-2017-Geophysical_Research_Letters.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (479kB) | Preview

Abstract/Summary

We report the first measurements of surfactant activity (SA) in the sea surface microlayer (SML) and in subsurface waters (SSW) at the ocean basin scale, for two Atlantic Meridional Transect from cruises 50°N to 50°S during 2014 and 2015. Northern Hemisphere (NH) SA was significantly higher than Southern Hemisphere (SH) SA in the SML and in the SSW. SA enrichment factors (EF = SASML/SASSW) were also higher in the NH, for wind speeds up to ~13 m s−1, questioning a prior assertion that Atlantic Ocean wind speeds >12 m s−1 poleward of 30°N and 30°S would preclude high EFs and showing the SML to be self-sustaining with respect to SA. Our results imply that surfactants exert a control on air-sea CO2 exchange across the whole North Atlantic CO2 sink region and that the contribution made by high wind, high latitude oceans to air-sea gas exchange globally should be reexamined.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Subjects:	Marine Sciences Oceanography
Divisions:	Plymouth Marine Laboratory > Science Areas > Marine Biochemistry and Observations
Depositing User:	Professor Philip Nightingale
Date made live:	26 May 2017 14:59
Last Modified:	25 Apr 2020 09:58
URI:	https://plymsea.ac.uk/id/eprint/7429

Actions (login required)

View Item