Aerosols influence atmospheric cycling and climate by affecting the Earth’s radiation budget as well as the formation of clouds and precipitation. Even though a lot of these processes are well studied, the net effect of aerosols on radiative forcing still bears large uncertainties. To better understand the formation and dynamics of marine aerosols, we measured, sampled and analyzed the lower atmosphere and surface ocean with the research sailing vessel Eugen Seibold on a 20°W latitudinal transect covering all oceanic provinces of the Eastern North Atlantic. Aerosol abundance and physicochemical properties were continuously investigated with particular focus on the biogenic aerosol fraction in the marine background atmosphere. Low particle concentrations, multimodal particle size distributions and a pronounced coarse mode suggest that air masses mainly originated from marine background conditions throughout most of the transect. These measurements are complemented by air and surface water sampling, satellite-based remote sensing, meteorological reanalysis data, as well as long-term data sets from continental monitoring stations in the area. Here, we present (bio-)aerosol and surface ocean data using different techniques such as continuous aerosol measurements and microscopy providing insights into biotic and abiotic processes occurring in the boundary layer between ocean and atmosphere. First conclusions can be drawn on the exchange of particles and microorganisms between the ocean and the atmosphere, as well as on aerosol transport and processing.

Primary Presenter: Isabella Hrabe de Angelis, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (bellahrabe@gmail.com)

Authors:

Hedy Aardema, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany & ETH Zürich, Switzerland  ()

Hans Slagter, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany  ()

Sanja Basic, Max Planck Institute for Chemsitry, Germany  ()

Jan Brüwer, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Germany  ()

Maria Calleja, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany & University of the Balearic Islands, Spain  ()

Antonis Dragoneas, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany  ()

Björn Nillius, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany  ()

Lena Heins, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany  ()

Subha Raj, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz  ()

S. Emil Ruff, Marine Biological Laboratory, USA  ()

David Walter, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany  ()

Jens Weber, Max Planck Instiute for Chemistry, Germany & University of Graz, Austria  ()

Zoe Cardon, Marine Biological Laboratory, USA  ()

Bernhard Fuchs, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Germany  ()

Gerald Haug, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany & ETH Zürich, Switzerland  ()

Ulrich Pöschl, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany  ()

Ralf Schiebel, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry  ()

Christopher Pöhlker, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany  ()