RAPID: Continuation of US GEOTRACES North Atlantic Section: The fractional solubility of aerosol iron in seawater

University Of Alaska Fairbanks Campus, Fairbanks AK

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 support through this Grant for Rapid Response Researcher, a GEOTRACES researcher at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks will be able to continue participation in this expedition to complete work originally proposed and funded by NSF through an ARRA award. This work addresses the guiding mission of GEOTRACES: "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". Iron is a key trace element in the GEOTRACES program, and this study investigates the fractional solubility of aerosol Fe using a novel field approach. Results will improve our understanding of how aerosol deposition affects the surface distribution of Fe in the North Atlantic. Information obtained from this work will also help establish how changing environmental conditions (e.g. increased dust flux) may affect the distribution and speciation of Fe. The continuation of the GEOTRACES North Atlantic section cruise will traverse over surface waters with significantly different chemical and biological characteristics, and with aerosol deposition from natural and anthropogenic sources. This portion of the cruise offers the complementary setting needed to complete the investigation of factors affecting aerosol Fe dissolution in the North Atlantic. Broader Impacts. Essential information concerning the dissolution of Fe in seawater will be generated and incorporated into the GEOTRACES database. This project presents a unique approach for investigating the fractional solubility of aerosol Fe in seawater that will result in important information for models of global carbon cycling and climate change that incorporate the aeolian supply of Fe. The project will support an early-career, female principal investigator at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), and helps build research infrastructure at UAF. An undergraduate student at UAF will receive support from this study. Information gained from this research will be incorporated into materials for web dissemination and public outreach events.