Surfactant OM-Fall

Characterization of the biological and chemical properties of dissolved organic matter in subsurface and surface microlayer waters of the western North Atlantic Ocean to establish a mechanistic understanding of conditions that promote surfactant accumulation that can influence air-sea gas exchanges. This work will include cruises during a high productivity period (between May and August) and a low productivity period (November). Four stations varying in relative productivity will be sampled. These stations will represent Delaware Bay, the coastal western Atlantic Ocean (~25km offshore), a productive open ocean region (~200km offshore), and an oligotrophic open ocean region (also ~200 km offshore). Stations will be occupied for 2 days on each cruise and surface waters (<1m) and surface microlayer waters will be collected throughout the day and night. Samples will be analyzed for their biological, chemical, and physical properties to better understand the controls on surfactant organic matter accumulation in the surface ocean.