The Surface Ocean - Lower Atmosphere Study

Rob Upstill-Goddard University of Newcastle upon Tyne

International, 10 year project

Aim: to achieve quantitative understanding of the key biogeochemical-physical interactions and feedbacks between the ocean and the atmosphere, and of how this coupled system affects and is affected by climate and environmental change.

What is SOLAS?

SOLAS Science

SOLAS Science

Structure

SOLAS is Sponsored by SCOR, IGBP, CACGP and WCRP

IGBP Core Project

Part of the Earth System Science Partnership

Science Plan and Implementation Strategy

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Also on the web: National SOLAS activities

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Download diagrams, figures and air-sea photos

SOLAS Foci and Activities

Structure

SOLAS: The Foci

FOCUS 1: Biogeochemical interactions and feedbacks between ocean and atmosphere

FOCUS 2:Exchange processes at the air-sea interface and the role of transport and transformation in the atmospheric and ocean boundary layers

FOCUS 3: Air-sea flux of CO2 and other long-lived radiatively-active gases

SeaWiFS

SOLAS: The Foci

Foci 1: Biogeochemical Processes

Foci 2:Physical Dynamics

Foci 3: Release and Uptake of Greenhouse Gases

BrO Clouds Over the Polar RegionsWagner et al 2001

Transfer velocity (k) determined by eddy correlation in Gas-Ex 98. McGillis et al 2001

Coccoliths deformed by raised [pCO2]Riebesell et al (2000)

300ppmv

800ppmv

Focus 1:Biogeochemical Interactions and Feedbacks Between Ocean and Atmosphere

1.1 Marine Particle Emissions and their Transformations

1.2 Trace Gas Emissions and Photochemical Feedbacks

1.3 DMS and Climate

1.4 Fe and Marine Productivity

1.5 Ocean-Atmosphere Cycling of Nitrogen

Trichodesmium - an important N2-fixer that requires large amounts of bioavailable Fe

Focus 2: Exchange Processes at the Air-Sea Interface and the Role of Transport and Transformation in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Boundary Layers

2.1 Exchange Across the Air-Sea Interface

2.2 Processes in the Oceanic Boundary Layer

2.3 Processes in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Processes responsible for the exchange of mass, momentum, and heat transport.

Focus 3: Air-Sea Flux of CO2 and Other Long-Lived Radiatively Active Gases

3.1 Geographic and Sub-Decadal Variability of Air-Sea CO2 Fluxes

3.2 Surface Layer Carbon Transformations in the Oceans: Sensitivity to Global Change

3.3 Air-Sea Flux of N2O and CH4

Net air-sea CO2 flux based on interpolation of air-sea pCO2 differences (Takahashi et al., 2002)

Brazil, Canada, China (Beijing), France, Japan, NZ and UK have funded SOLAS programmes Germany, Norway, Belgium, and EU SOLAS proposals Networks being built in the USA, India, South Korea, Russia, Chile and China (Taipei)

UK Programme

funded by NERC: £10·3m, 2004-2009.http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/ thematics/solas11 Research Grants (£4m) and 9 “Tied” Research Studentships awarded in Phase 1(2005)3 Research grants (£0.8m) awarde in phase 2 (2005)

UK Awards thus farAchterberg (NOC) Effect of atmospheric dust inputs on tropical North Atlantic plankton

Archer (PML) DMSP and GBT in protecting photoinhibition /photoxidative stress and consequences for DMS and NH3 production

Carslaw (Leeds) Global Modelling of Aerosols and Chemistry

Green (SAMS) Algal-Bacteria Interactions and Dimethylsulphide Fluxes to the Atmosphere (ALBA)

Highwood (Reading) Dust Outflow and Deposition to the Ocean (DODO)

Murrell (Warwick) Role of the bacterioneuston in air-sea gas exchange

Nightingale (PML) Air-sea OVOC fluxes: Seawater sources/sinks and role of the microlayer

Robinson (PML) The impact of coastal up-wellings on air-sea exchange of climatically important gases

Brooks(Leeds) Field Observations of Sea Spray, Gas Fluxes and Whitecaps (SEASAW)

Upstill-Goddard (Newcastle) DOGEE-SOLAS: The UKSOLAS Deep Ocean Gas Exchange Experiment

Yelland (NOC) High Wind Air-Sea Exchanges (HiWASE)

Carpenter (York) Transformations, volatilisation and speciation of organic and inorganic iodine in the marine environment

Malin (UEA) Investigation of Near-Surface Production of Iodocarbons - Rates and Exchange (INSPIRE)

McFiggans (Manchester) Reactive Halogens in the Marine Boundary Layer

Further Info

Science Plan and Implementation Strategy

International Project Office at UEA, Norwich UK

http://www.uea.ac.uk/env/solas/ solas@uea.ac.uk