Deposition of trace metals in Saharan Dust to the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean: Analysis of samples collected during Meteor-55 (M 55)

• Antragsteller: Dr. Peter Leslie Croot
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Physik, Chemie und Biologie des Meeres
• Förderung: Förderung von 2003 bis 2005
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 5410456

The deposition of Saharan dust to the Equatorial Atlantic is believed to be the major factor controlling the distribution and concentration of several key trace metals in this region. Globally the Equatorial Atlantic receives the greatest amount of terrestrial dust to its surface waters than any other location on the Earth and subsequently is a great natural laboratory for examining the biogeochemical process occurring when atmospheric dust interacts with the upper ocean. In particular the chemical and biological reactions involving iron contained in the dust are important to understand as iron is known to be a key limiting nutrient in many parts of the open ocean, and atmospheric deposition is believed to be the main supply route. The surface layer distributions of the other trace metals found in the dust provides critical information about the fluxes and dissolution of the dust as it interacts with the seawater. Comparison with elements not enriched in the dust allows calculation of other critical parameters; including vertical mixing and biological uptake.

• DFG-Verfahren: Schwerpunktprogramme
• Teilprojekt zu: SPP 516: Auswertung der Meteor-Expeditionen