Present climatic and environmental global changes are raising increasing attention owing to their actual or potential impact on society, health and economy. Although a qualitative relationship between the increase in greenhouse gases atmospheric concentration, global temperature, and environmental effects is known with a sufficient confidence, quantitative evaluations and relative contributions of natural processes and anthropic activity are still affected by large uncertainties. In particular, the non-linear pattern of environmental feedback to climate forcing agents makes difficult the setup and the application of predictive climatic models. Atmospheric particulate plays an important climatic role by scattering solar radiation and acting as Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN), thus influencing the Earth's albedo and climate (IPCC, 2001). However, due to the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of aerosol occurrence and properties, an increased effort at characterizing tropospheric aerosols is needed to reduce the uncertainty in the aerosol forcing estimates (Schwartz and Andreae, 1996). Current satellite-based estimates of primary production have achieved limited success and improving those estimates is therefore needed (e.g., Friedrichs et al., 2008). The marine primary production in the sea sector surrounding the sampling site is obtained by using Ocean Color remote sensed data (SeaWIFs, MODIS-Aqua, MERIS). In particular, primary production is calculated through the use of both a bio-optical model of sea reflectance towards optically active sea water components and a WRDM model (Wavelength-Depth-Resolved Models) fed by elaborated satellite data (chlorophyll concentration in the euphotic layer, sea surface temperature) and daily surface irradiance measurements. For the first time we prove experimentally a linear and significant relationship between MSA concentration in the particulate matter sampled at Lampedusa island and marine primary productivity, defined as photosynthetic biomass production for biomass unit (C/Chl“a”) calculated as above mentioned. Establishing a significant correlation between marine productivity and an atmospheric marker would contribute to improve climatic and paleo-climatic studies and would provide a powerful and easy-to apply tool for monitoring and reconstructing marine biogenic activity through high resolution measurements of chemical markers (MSA and or DMS) in atmospheric samples.

Relationship between phytoplankton activity and chemical markers in atmospheric aerosols in the Mediterranean Sea / Becagli S.; C. Bommarito; A. G. Di Sarra; G. Galli; L. Lazzara; D. Manganelli; D. Sferlazzo; R. Traversi; R. Udisti. - ELETTRONICO. - Atmospheric Composition Changes: Climate-Chemistry Interactions:(2009), pp. 2-2. (Intervento presentato al convegno ENEA, Università Salento tenutosi a Lecce, Italy nel 2-4 novembre 2009).

Relationship between phytoplankton activity and chemical markers in atmospheric aerosols in the Mediterranean Sea

BECAGLI, SILVIA;LAZZARA, LUIGI;TRAVERSI, RITA;UDISTI, ROBERTO
2009

Abstract

Present climatic and environmental global changes are raising increasing attention owing to their actual or potential impact on society, health and economy. Although a qualitative relationship between the increase in greenhouse gases atmospheric concentration, global temperature, and environmental effects is known with a sufficient confidence, quantitative evaluations and relative contributions of natural processes and anthropic activity are still affected by large uncertainties. In particular, the non-linear pattern of environmental feedback to climate forcing agents makes difficult the setup and the application of predictive climatic models. Atmospheric particulate plays an important climatic role by scattering solar radiation and acting as Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN), thus influencing the Earth's albedo and climate (IPCC, 2001). However, due to the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of aerosol occurrence and properties, an increased effort at characterizing tropospheric aerosols is needed to reduce the uncertainty in the aerosol forcing estimates (Schwartz and Andreae, 1996). Current satellite-based estimates of primary production have achieved limited success and improving those estimates is therefore needed (e.g., Friedrichs et al., 2008). The marine primary production in the sea sector surrounding the sampling site is obtained by using Ocean Color remote sensed data (SeaWIFs, MODIS-Aqua, MERIS). In particular, primary production is calculated through the use of both a bio-optical model of sea reflectance towards optically active sea water components and a WRDM model (Wavelength-Depth-Resolved Models) fed by elaborated satellite data (chlorophyll concentration in the euphotic layer, sea surface temperature) and daily surface irradiance measurements. For the first time we prove experimentally a linear and significant relationship between MSA concentration in the particulate matter sampled at Lampedusa island and marine primary productivity, defined as photosynthetic biomass production for biomass unit (C/Chl“a”) calculated as above mentioned. Establishing a significant correlation between marine productivity and an atmospheric marker would contribute to improve climatic and paleo-climatic studies and would provide a powerful and easy-to apply tool for monitoring and reconstructing marine biogenic activity through high resolution measurements of chemical markers (MSA and or DMS) in atmospheric samples.
2009
ENEA, Università Salento
Lecce, Italy
Becagli S.; C. Bommarito; A. G. Di Sarra; G. Galli; L. Lazzara; D. Manganelli; D. Sferlazzo; R. Traversi; R. Udisti
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/374017
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