Fingerprinting the Clouds
Abstract
Marine microgels play an important role in regulating ocean-basin-scale biogeochemical dynamics. We have found them in surface waters, in airborne aerosol, fog, and cloud water in the high Arctic (north of 80oN). Microgels dominated the available cloud condensation nuclei number population during the summer season. These microgels have unique physicochemical characteristics and originate from the ice algae and/or phytoplankton in the surface water. We have sequenced the genomic material found in the microgels from the sea surface and cloud waters with next-generation sequencing technology. The sequence analysis and annotation, show a high abundance of proteins of microbial and diatom origin, including a high number of proteins from different taxonomical origin associated with antifreeze functions. Our results have implications not only for cloud droplet activation but also for ice nucleation.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFM.A44D..08O
- Keywords:
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- 0300 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0305 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Aerosols and particles;
- 0305 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Aerosols and particles;
- 4801 OCEANOGRAPHY: BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL / Aerosols