GEOTRACES Atlantic Section: Aerosol and Rainfall collection and analysis

Florida State University, Tallahassee FL

Investigators

Abstract

In the fall of 2010, the US GEOTRACES North Atlantic Section cruise began its survey of the distribution of trace metals and isotopes across a basin where there is an enhanced influence from atmospheric deposition. Due to damages to the ship's (R/V Knorr) propulsion system, the cruise was halted at an early stage when less of a third of the cruise track was completed. The completion of this section has been rescheduled for the fall of 2011. With funding through this Grant for Rapid Response Research (RAPID), a research team at Florida State University will continue collection of aerosol and rainfall samples on the GEOTRACES North Atlantic section cruise in 2011, thereby completing work initiated in 2010. With collaboration from researchers around the world, the 24-hour integrated aerosol samples, and event-based rain samples, will be analyzed for a large suite of TEIs. The team will analyze all aerosol samples for ultra-pure water soluble, seawater soluble, and total (residual) TEIs. Rain samples will be analyzed both filtered and unfiltered, to quantify the soluble and particulate TEI concentrations. Air mass back-trajectories for all sampling days will be modeled using the NOAA HySplit program. Those aerosol samples and a series of seawater samples will be analyzed for Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb with a shore-based column extraction method utilizing isotope dilution and high-resolution magnetic sector ICPMS. Broader Impacts. Education and training of graduate students are essential components of this research. The PI regularly teaches undergraduate and graduate classes and incorporates the results of his fieldwork into lecture materials to motivate the next generation of Earth scientists. The researchers (PI and graduate student) will benefit from participation in large projects that will create multiple collaborations. Undergraduate FSU chemistry and/or biology majors (males, females, minorities) are involved in the research via annual requests for REU supplements. Results will be presented at national/international scientific meetings, and published in peer-reviewed journals. The data will be submitted in a timely manner according to the requirements of NSF/OCE and the GEOTRACES program.