Sub-micron picoplankton shape, orientation and internal structure combine to preferentially amplify forward scatter

Smyth, TJ, Tarran, GA and Sathyendranath, S 2021 Sub-micron picoplankton shape, orientation and internal structure combine to preferentially amplify forward scatter. Optics Express. https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.413576

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.413576

Abstract/Summary

Compelling evidence is presented that sub-micron picoplankton shape, internal structure and orientation in combination leads to a disproportionate enhancement of differential forward scatter compared with differential side scatter when analyzed with a flow cytometer. Theoretical evidence is provided which results in an order of magnitude amplification in the forward scatter direction, with little or no change in the side scatter: this discounts the possibility of “doublets” caused by multiple particles simultaneously present in the laser beam. Observational evidence from progressively finer filtered seawater samples shows up to three orders of magnitude enhancement in the forward scatter direction and sizes of Prochlorococcus close to that reported in the literature (0.61±0.17µm). It therefore seems likely that flow cytometrically observed “bi-modal size distributions” of Prochlorococcus are instead the manifestation of intra-population differences in shape (spherical – prolate with preferential alignment) and internal structure (homogenous – heterogenous). ©

Item Type: Publication - Article
Divisions: Plymouth Marine Laboratory > National Capability categories > Single Centre NC - CLASS
Plymouth Marine Laboratory > Science Areas > Marine Biochemistry and Observations
Depositing User: Tim Smyth
Date made live: 18 Jan 2021 12:27
Last Modified: 18 Jan 2021 12:27
URI: https://plymsea.ac.uk/id/eprint/9103

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