Award: OCE-1438047

Our work on the 2015 US GEOTRACES cruise to the western Arctic Ocean focused on the collection of atmospheric samples from samplers mounted above the bridge of the ship. We were primarily interested in characterizing the composition of atmospheric particles (aerosols) in the summertime Arctic with a focus on their trace element chemistry. These aerosols can be produced by both natural and anthropogenic processes in both marine and continental environments. Trace elements are termed as such because of their scarcity in the marine environment. Despite their low abundance, trace elements often play a significant role in primary production because of their importance to cellular metabolic pathways and enzyme functions. Deposition from the atmosphere can be the primary source of trace elements to the surface ocean; a process complicated by perennial and annual ice cover in the Arctic. We determined concentrations of the key trace elements Al, Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb as well as P, Sc, and Cr. Falling snow was also analyzed for particulate and dissolved trace elements. We measured the solubility of aerosols in ultrapure deionized water, filtered surface seawater, and a strong acid solution allowing us to estimate the fractional solubility of aerosols reaching the surface ocean by wet and dry deposition. When possible, we collected water samples from ponds of melted water which form on the surface of the sea ice. These unique environments may impact the rate at which material from the atmosphere reaches the surface ocean. Dr. Christopher Marsay, a postdoctoral scientist, participated on the cruise and was supported by this award. We also provided samples to the community. The data has been submitted to the appropriate GEOTRACES data repositories. Last Modified: 01/10/2018 Submitted by: Clifton Buck