Abstract
Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) act as a major transport mechanism for organic matter (OM) to the sea surface microlayer (SML) via bubble scavenging, and into the atmosphere via bubble bursting. However; little is known about the effects of bubble scavenging on TEP enrichment in the SML. This study examined the effects of several bubbling conditions and algae species on the enrichment of TEP in the SML. TEP enrichment in the SML was enhanced by bubbling, with a larger impact from bubbling rate than bubble size and increasing enrichment over time. Depth profiles showed that any TEP aggregates formed in the underlying water (ULW) were rapidly (<2 min) transported to the SML, and that TEP was entrained in the SML by bubbling. Species experiments determined that the presence of different phytoplankton species and their subsequent release of precursor material further enhance the effectiveness of TEP enrichment via bubble scavenging.
Highlights
The sea surface microlayer (SML) is a thin layer at the top of the ocean with its own distinct chemical, biological and physical characteristics [1,2,3]
We found no significant difference in Assuming the process of formation and aggregation of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) on and between rising bubbles is the TEP enrichment in the SML with different bubble sizes, with this having interesting implications
While the enrichment of TEP in aerosols from bubble bursting has been previously proven, we can show that the process of bubbling rapidly transports TEP up to the SML within 2 min, and prevents the sinking of TEP aggregates
Summary
The sea surface microlayer (SML) is a thin layer at the top of the ocean with its own distinct chemical, biological and physical characteristics [1,2,3]. The SML is a gelatinous film often enriched by many biological and chemical parameters in comparison to the underlying water (ULW), including phytoplankton, bacteria and surfactants [6,7,8,9]. It is the gelatinous nature which allows the visual observation of highly enriched areas—termed “slicks”—under low wind speeds below 5 m s−1 due to the dampening of capillary waves [3]. The gel component of the SML is caused by the creation and accumulation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), the largest faction of which is transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) [3]
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