Netherlands Polar Data Center

Summary

This project will contribute to theMultidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) field campaign (http://www.mosaicobservatory.org). MOSAiC is a multi-disciplinary, international Arctic research initiative that is unprecedented. It is motivated by the dramatic changes in the Arctic climate system over the last few decades, as highlighted by increasing losses of sea ice. MOSAiC will study sea-ice dynamics and interactions with the atmosphere and ocean for a full year cycle. The program is inspired by the awareness that a joint effort is required to improve our understanding of the coupled physical, chemical and biological processes involved in the sea-ice system and of the consequences of and interactions with climate change. The sea-ice sulphur cycle is one of the core parameters of MOSAiC, since the volatile sulphur compound dimethyl sulphide (DMS) is an important contributor to aerosol particles.  

During MOSAiC, our project will be leading in measuring the production of a full year-round time series of sulphur compounds in Arctic sea-ice and underlying seawater.We will provide process rates through the climate-relevant sulphur and carbon cycles within sea-ice and pelagic ecosystems, using state-of-the-art isotope-addition experiments and mass spectrometry. Our work will closely connect with DMS-flux measurements, methane measurements and molecular identification of the microbial community structure and productivity by US- and German partners. As the observed decline in sea-ice masses continues, several of the processes we study may intensify global warming. It is therefore highly urgent and timely to provide accurate insight on these important feedback processes. 

People involved

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Publications

Keywords

• DMS sea-ice MOSAiC