Impacts of ocean biogeochemistry on atmospheric chemistry

• Published in: Elementa (Washington, D.C.) Vol. 11; no. 1
• Main Authors: Tinel, Liselotte, Abbatt, Jonathan, Saltzman, Eric, Engel, Anja, Fernandez, Rafael, Li, Qinyi, Mahajan, Anoop S., Nicewonger, Melinda, Novak, Gordon, Saiz-Lopez, Alfonso, Schneider, Stephanie, Wang, Shanshan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oakland University of California Press, Journals & Digital Publishing Division 07.09.2023; University of California Press
• Subjects: Air pollution; Air quality; Atmosphere; Atmospheric chemistry; Atmospheric gases; Biogeochemistry; Chemical Sciences; Climate science; Climate system; Emissions; Environmental Sciences; Gases; Global Changes; Iodine; Lower atmosphere; Ocean, Atmosphere; Oceans; or physical chemistry; Organic compounds; Oxidation; Ozone; Sciences of the Universe; Stratosphere; Surface microlayers; Theoretical and; Trace gases; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Volatile organic compounds; Tropospheric ozone; Halogens Surface microlayer (SML) Tropospheric ozone Stratospheric ozone Volatile organic compounds; Surface microlayer (SML); Halogens; Stratospheric ozone
• ISSN: 2325-1026; 2325-1026
• DOI: 10.1525/elementa.2023.00032

Ocean biogeochemistry involves the production and consumption of an array of organic compounds and halogenated trace gases that influence the composition and reactivity of the atmosphere, air quality, and the climate system. Some of these molecules affect tropospheric ozone and secondary aerosol formation and impact the atmospheric oxidation capacity on both regional and global scales. Other emissions undergo transport to the stratosphere, where they contribute to the halogen burden and influence ozone. The oceans also comprise a major sink for highly soluble or reactive atmospheric gases. These issues are an active area of research by the SOLAS (Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere) community. This article provides a status report on progress over the past decade, unresolved issues, and future research directions to understand the influence of ocean biogeochemistry on gas-phase atmospheric chemistry. Common challenges across the subject area involve establishing the role that biology plays in controlling the emissions of gases to the atmosphere and the inclusion of such complex processes, for example involving the sea surface microlayer, in large-scale global models.