Atmospheric water-soluble organic nitrogen (WSON) over marine environments: a global perspective
To obtain a comprehensive picture of the spatial distribution of water-soluble organic nitrogen (WSON) in marine aerosols, samples were collected during research cruises in the tropical and southern Atlantic Ocean and also in the southern Indian Ocean (Amsterdam Island) for a 1-year period (2005). S...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2015-05-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.biogeosciences.net/12/3131/2015/bg-12-3131-2015.pdf |
| Summary: | To obtain a comprehensive picture of the spatial distribution of water-soluble organic nitrogen (WSON) in marine aerosols, samples were collected
during research cruises in the tropical and southern Atlantic Ocean and also
in the southern Indian Ocean (Amsterdam Island) for a 1-year period
(2005). Samples were analyzed for both organic and inorganic forms of
nitrogen, and the factors controlling their levels were examined. Fine-mode WSON was found to play a significant role in the remote marine
atmosphere with enhanced biogenic activity, with concentrations of WSON
(11.3 ± 3.3 nmol N m<sup>−3</sup>) accounting for about 84 % of the total
dissolved nitrogen (TDN). Such concentrations are similar to those observed
in the polluted marine atmosphere of the eastern Mediterranean (11.6 ± 14.0 nmol N m<sup>−3</sup>).
Anthropogenic activities were found to be an
important source of atmospheric WSON as evidenced by the levels in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) being 10 times higher than in the remote Southern
Hemisphere (SH). Furthermore, the higher contribution of fine-mode WSON to
TDN (51%) in the SH, compared to the NH (13%), underlines the
important role of organic nitrogen in remote marine areas. Finally, there
was a strong association of WSON with dust in coarse-mode aerosols in the
NH. |
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| ISSN: | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |