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RQM/MEOPAR TReX Graduate Students & Postdoc Awards
Refining estimates of the sea spray aerosol (SSA) production flux is challenging due to the unknown source of measured components. The tracer release surface experiment provides the rare opportunity to analyze aerosol samples that contain compounds known to originate in the water while also providing tracking of the tracer fetch. Relating concentrations of rhodamine and vegetable oil measured in aerosols with those in subsurface water and sea surface microlayer (SML) will provide a necessary constraint on SSA production flux used in climate and chemical transport models. These measurements will also provide insight into the mechanism of enrichment of organic matter in SSA compared to that found in the water column, which is necessary for understanding climate implications of SSA emissions. Released tracers will act as proxies for understanding the ocean-air transport of biological and pollutant contaminants that may be present in seawater such as algal blooms, bacteria, urban stormwater runoff, and raw sewage. Once airborne, these contaminants could elicit a wide array of negative health effects on coastal communities through respiration or eventual deposition into local food and drinking supply. Measuring presence and concentration of tracers in their aerosol form therefore fits with the MEOPAR aim to better understand and represent the dispersion mechanisms that affect the dilution of contaminants and the goal to ensure the safety and well-being of coastal communities.
