Distribution and drivers of marine isoprene concentration across the Southern Ocean

© 2020 by the authors. Isoprene is a biogenic trace gas produced by terrestrial vegetation and marine phytoplankton. In the remote oceans, where secondary aerosols are mostly biogenic, marine isoprene emissions affect atmospheric chemistry and influence cloud formation and brightness. Here, we p...

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Main Authors: Rodríguez-Ros, P., Cortés, P., Robinson, Charlotte, Nunes, S., Hassler, C., Royer, S.J., Estrada, M., Sala, M.M., Simó, R.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2020
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP160103387
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/80197
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author Rodríguez-Ros, P.
Cortés, P.
Robinson, Charlotte
Nunes, S.
Hassler, C.
Royer, S.J.
Estrada, M.
Sala, M.M.
Simó, R.
author_facet Rodríguez-Ros, P.
Cortés, P.
Robinson, Charlotte
Nunes, S.
Hassler, C.
Royer, S.J.
Estrada, M.
Sala, M.M.
Simó, R.
author_sort Rodríguez-Ros, P.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © 2020 by the authors. Isoprene is a biogenic trace gas produced by terrestrial vegetation and marine phytoplankton. In the remote oceans, where secondary aerosols are mostly biogenic, marine isoprene emissions affect atmospheric chemistry and influence cloud formation and brightness. Here, we present the first compilation of new and published measurements of isoprene concentrations in the Southern Ocean and explore their distribution patterns. Surface ocean isoprene concentrations in November through April span 1 to 94 pM. A band of higher concentrations is observed around a latitude of ≈40° S and a surface sea temperature of 15 °C. High isoprene also occurs in high productivity waters near islands and continental coasts. We use concurrent measurements of physical, chemical, and biological variables to explore the main potential drivers of isoprene concentration by means of paired regressions and multivariate analysis. Isoprene is best explained by phytoplankton-related variables like the concentrations of chlorophyll-a, photoprotective pigments and particulate organic matter, photosynthetic efficiency (influenced by iron availability), and the chlorophyll-a shares of most phytoplankton groups, and not by macronutrients or bacterial abundance. A simple statistical model based on chlorophyll-a concentration and a sea surface temperature discontinuity accounts for half of the variance of isoprene concentrations in surface waters of the Southern Ocean.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-801972021-01-05T08:07:08Z Distribution and drivers of marine isoprene concentration across the Southern Ocean Rodríguez-Ros, P. Cortés, P. Robinson, Charlotte Nunes, S. Hassler, C. Royer, S.J. Estrada, M. Sala, M.M. Simó, R. © 2020 by the authors. Isoprene is a biogenic trace gas produced by terrestrial vegetation and marine phytoplankton. In the remote oceans, where secondary aerosols are mostly biogenic, marine isoprene emissions affect atmospheric chemistry and influence cloud formation and brightness. Here, we present the first compilation of new and published measurements of isoprene concentrations in the Southern Ocean and explore their distribution patterns. Surface ocean isoprene concentrations in November through April span 1 to 94 pM. A band of higher concentrations is observed around a latitude of ≈40° S and a surface sea temperature of 15 °C. High isoprene also occurs in high productivity waters near islands and continental coasts. We use concurrent measurements of physical, chemical, and biological variables to explore the main potential drivers of isoprene concentration by means of paired regressions and multivariate analysis. Isoprene is best explained by phytoplankton-related variables like the concentrations of chlorophyll-a, photoprotective pigments and particulate organic matter, photosynthetic efficiency (influenced by iron availability), and the chlorophyll-a shares of most phytoplankton groups, and not by macronutrients or bacterial abundance. A simple statistical model based on chlorophyll-a concentration and a sea surface temperature discontinuity accounts for half of the variance of isoprene concentrations in surface waters of the Southern Ocean. 2020 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/80197 10.3390/atmos11060556 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP160103387 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ fulltext
spellingShingle Rodríguez-Ros, P.
Cortés, P.
Robinson, Charlotte
Nunes, S.
Hassler, C.
Royer, S.J.
Estrada, M.
Sala, M.M.
Simó, R.
Distribution and drivers of marine isoprene concentration across the Southern Ocean
title Distribution and drivers of marine isoprene concentration across the Southern Ocean
title_full Distribution and drivers of marine isoprene concentration across the Southern Ocean
title_fullStr Distribution and drivers of marine isoprene concentration across the Southern Ocean
title_full_unstemmed Distribution and drivers of marine isoprene concentration across the Southern Ocean
title_short Distribution and drivers of marine isoprene concentration across the Southern Ocean
title_sort distribution and drivers of marine isoprene concentration across the southern ocean
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP160103387
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/80197