Department of Earth Sciences

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Browsing Department of Earth Sciences by Author "Achterberg, Eric P."

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    Atmospheric deposition fluxes over the Atlantic Ocean : a GEOTRACES case study
    (Copernicus Publications, 2019-04-11) Barraqueta, Jan-Lukas Menzel; Klar, Jessica K.; Gledhill, Martha; Schlosser, Christian; Shelley, Rachel; Planquette, Helene F.; Wenzel, Bernhard; Sarthou, Geraldine; Achterberg, Eric P.
    Atmospheric deposition is an important source of micronutrients to the ocean, but atmospheric deposition fluxes remain poorly constrained in most ocean regions due to the limited number of field observations of wet and dry atmospheric inputs. Here we present the distribution of dissolved aluminium (dAl), as a tracer of atmospheric inputs, in surface waters of the Atlantic Ocean along GEOTRACES sections GA01, GA06, GA08, and GA10. We used the surface mixed-layer concentrations of dAl to calculate atmospheric deposition fluxes using a simple steady state model. We have optimized the Al fractional aerosol solubility, the dAl residence time within the surface mixed layer and the depth of the surface mixed layer for each separate cruise to calculate the atmospheric deposition fluxes. We calculated the lowest deposition fluxes of 0.15±0.1 and 0.27±0.13 g m−2 yr−1 for the South and North Atlantic Ocean (>40∘ S and >40∘ N) respectively, and the highest fluxes of 1.8 and 3.09 g m−2 yr−1 for the south-east Atlantic and tropical Atlantic Ocean, respectively. Overall, our estimations are comparable to atmospheric dust deposition model estimates and reported field-based atmospheric deposition estimates. We note that our estimates diverge from atmospheric dust deposition model flux estimates in regions influenced by riverine Al inputs and in upwelling regions. As dAl is a key trace element in the GEOTRACES programme, the approach presented in this study allows calculations of atmospheric deposition fluxes at high spatial resolution for remote ocean regions.
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    Controls on redox-sensitive trace metals in the Mauritanian oxygen minimum zone
    (Copernicus Publications, 2019-11-05) Rapp, Insa; Schlosser, Christian; Barraqueta, Jan-Lukas Menzel; Wenzel, Bernhard; Ludke, Jan; Scholten, Jan; Gasser, Beat; Reichert, Patrick; Gledhill, Martha; Dengler, Marcus; Achterberg, Eric P.
    The availability of the micronutrient iron (Fe) in surface waters determines primary production, N2 fixation, and microbial community structure in large parts of the world's ocean, and thus it plays an important role in ocean carbon and nitrogen cycles. Eastern boundary upwelling systems and the connected oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) are typically associated with elevated concentrations of redox-sensitive trace metals (e.g., Fe, manganese (Mn), and cobalt (Co)), with shelf sediments typically forming a key source. Over the last 5 decades, an expansion and intensification of OMZs has been observed and this trend is likely to proceed. However, it is unclear how trace-metal (TM) distributions and transport are influenced by decreasing oxygen (O2) concentrations. Here we present dissolved (d; <0.2 µm) and leachable particulate (Lp; >0.2 µm) TM data collected at seven stations along a 50 km transect in the Mauritanian shelf region. We observed enhanced concentrations of Fe, Co, and Mn corresponding with low O2 concentrations (<50 µmol kg−1), which were decoupled from major nutrients and nutrient-like and scavenged TMs (cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu)). Additionally, data from repeated station occupations indicated a direct link between dissolved and leachable particulate Fe, Co, Mn, and O2. An observed dFe (dissolved iron) decrease from 10 to 5 nmol L−1 coincided with an O2 increase from 30 to 50 µmol kg−1 and with a concomitant decrease in turbidity. The changes in Fe (Co and Mn) were likely driven by variations in their release from sediment pore water, facilitated by lower O2 concentrations and longer residence time of the water mass on the shelf. Variations in organic matter remineralization and lithogenic inputs (atmospheric deposition or sediment resuspension; assessed using Al as indicator for lithogenic inputs) only played a minor role in redox-sensitive TM variability. Vertical dFe fluxes from O2-depleted subsurface-to-surface waters (0.08–13.5 µmol m−2 d−1) driven by turbulent mixing and vertical advection were an order of magnitude larger than atmospheric deposition fluxes (0.63–1.43 µmol m−2 d−1; estimated using dAl inventories in the surface mixed layer) in the continental slope and shelf region. Benthic fluxes are therefore the dominant dFe supply to surface waters on the continental margins of the Mauritanian upwelling region. Overall, our results indicated that the projected future decrease in O2 concentrations in OMZs may result in increases in Fe, Mn, and Co concentrations.
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    Developing autonomous observing systems for micronutrient trace metals
    (Frontiers Media, 2019-02-21) Grand, Maxime M.; Laes-Huon, Agathe; Fietz, Susanne; Resing, Joseph A.; Obata, Hajime; Luther, George W. III; Tagliabue, Alessandro; Achterberg, Eric P.; Middag, Rob; Tovar-Sanchez, Antonio; Bowie, Andrew R.
    Trace metal micronutrients are integral to the functioning of marine ecosystems and the export of particulate carbon to the deep ocean. Although much progress has been made in mapping the distributions of metal micronutrients throughout the ocean over the last 30 years, there remain information gaps, most notable during seasonal transitions and in remote regions. The next challenge is to develop in situ sensing technologies necessary to capture the spatial and temporal variabilities of micronutrients characterized with short residence times, highly variable source terms, and sub-nanomolar concentrations in open ocean settings. Such an effort will allow investigation of the biogeochemical processes at the necessary resolution to constrain fluxes, residence times, and the biological and chemical responses to varying metal inputs in a changing ocean. Here, we discuss the current state of the art and analytical challenges associated with metal micronutrient determinations and highlight existing and emerging technologies, namely in situ chemical analyzers, electrochemical sensors, passive preconcentration samplers, and autonomous trace metal clean samplers, which could form the basis of autonomous observing systems for trace metals within the next decade. We suggest that several existing assets can already be deployed in regions of enhanced metal concentrations and argue that, upon further development, a combination of wet chemical analyzers with electrochemical sensors may provide the best compromise between analytical precision, detection limits, metal speciation, and longevity for autonomous open ocean determinations. To meet this goal, resources must be invested to: (1) improve the sensitivity of existing sensors including the development of novel chemical assays; (2) reduce sensor size and power requirements; (3) develop an open-source “Do-It-Yourself” infrastructure to facilitate sensor development, uptake by end-users and foster a mechanism by which scientists can rapidly adapt commercially available technologies to in situ applications; and (4) develop a community-led standardized protocol to demonstrate the endurance and comparability of in situ sensor data with established techniques. Such a vision will be best served through ongoing collaborations between trace metal geochemists, analytical chemists, the engineering community, and commercial partners, which will accelerate the delivery of new technologies for in situ metal sensing in the decade following OceanObs’19.
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    Introduction to the French GEOTRACES North Atlantic Transect (GA01) : GEOVIDE cruise
    (European Geosciences Union, 2018-11-29) Sarthou, Geraldine; Lherminier, Pascale; Achterberg, Eric P.; Alonso-Perez, Fernando; Bucciarelli, Eva; Boutorh, Julia; Bouvier, Vincent; Boyle, Edward A.; Branellec, Pierre; Carracedo, Lidia I.; Casacuberta, Nuria; Castrillejo, Maxi; Cheize, Marie; Pereira, Leonardo Contreira; Cossa, Daniel; Daniault, Nathalie; De Saint-Leger, Emmanuel; Dehairs, Frank; Deng, Feifei; De Gesincourt, Floriane Desprez; Devesa, Jeremy; Foliot, Lorna; Fonseca-Batista, Debany; Gallinari, Morgane; Garcia-Ibanez, Maribel I.; Gourain, Arthur; Grossteffan, Emilie; Hamon, Michel; Heimburger, Lars Eric; Henderson, Gideon M.; Jeandel, Catherine; Kermabon, Catherine; Lacan, Francois; Le Bot, Philippe; Le Goff, Manon; Le Roy, Emilie; Lefebvre, Alison; Leizour, Stephane; Lemaitre, Nolwenn; Masque, Pere; Menage, Olivier; Barraqueta, Jan-Lukas Menzel; Mercier, Herle; Perault, Fabien; Perez, Fiz F.; Planquette, Helene F.; Planchon, Frederic; Roukaerts, Arnout; Sanial, Virginie; Sauzede, Raphaelle; Schmechtig, Catherine; Shelley, Rachel U.; Stewart, Gillian; Sutton, Jill N.; Tang, Yi; Tisnerat-Laborde, Nadine; Tonnard, Manon; Treguer, Paul; Van Beek, Pieter; Zurbrick, Cheryl M.; Zunino, Patricia
    The GEOVIDE cruise, a collaborative project within the framework of the international GEOTRACES programme, was conducted along the French-led section in the North Atlantic Ocean (Section GA01), between 15 May and 30 June 2014. In this special issue (https://www.biogeosciences.net/special_issue900.html), results from GEOVIDE, including physical oceanography and trace element and isotope cyclings, are presented among 18 articles. Here, the scientific context, project objectives, and scientific strategy of GEOVIDE are provided, along with an overview of the main results from the articles published in the special issue.
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    Regulation of the phytoplankton heme b iron pool during the North Atlantic spring bloom
    (Frontiers Media, 2019-07-11) Louropoulou, Evangelia; Gledhill, Martha; Browning, Thomas J.; Desai, Dhwani K.; Barraqueta, Jan-Lukas Menzel; Tonnard, Manon; Sarthou, Geraldine; Planquette, Helene; Bowie, Andrew R.; Schmitz, Ruth A.; LaRoche, Julie; Achterberg, Eric P.
    Heme b is an iron-containing co-factor in hemoproteins. Heme b concentrations are low (<1 pmol L⁻²) in iron limited phytoplankton in cultures and in the field. Here, we determined heme b in marine particulate material (>0.7 μm) from the North Atlantic Ocean (GEOVIDE cruise – GEOTRACES section GA01), which spanned several biogeochemical regimes. We examined the relationship between heme b abundance and the microbial community composition, and its utility for mapping iron limited phytoplankton. Heme b concentrations ranged from 0.16 to 5.1 pmol L⁻² (median = 2.0 pmol L⁻², n = 62) in the surface mixed layer (SML) along the cruise track, driven mainly by variability in biomass. However, in the Irminger Basin, the lowest heme b levels (SML: median = 0.53 pmol L⁻², n = 12) were observed, whilst the biomass was highest (particulate organic carbon, median = 14.2 μmol L⁻², n = 25; chlorophyll a: median = 2.0 nmol L⁻², n = 23) pointing to regulatory mechanisms of the heme b pool for growth conservation. Dissolved iron (DFe) was not depleted (SML: median = 0.38 nmol L⁻², n = 11) in the Irminger Basin, but large diatoms (Rhizosolenia sp.) dominated. Hence, heme b depletion and regulation is likely to occur during bloom progression when phytoplankton class-dependent absolute iron requirements exceed the available ambient concentration of DFe. Furthermore, high heme b concentrations found in the Iceland Basin and Labrador Sea (median = 3.4 pmol L⁻², n = 20), despite having similar DFe concentrations to the Irminger Basin, were attributed to an earlier growth phase of the extant phytoplankton populations. Thus, heme b provides a snapshot of the cellular activity in situ and could both be used as indicator of iron limitation and contribute to understanding phytoplankton adaptation mechanisms to changing iron supplies.