Sea surface microlayer in a changing ocean – A perspective
Oliver Wurl
Werner Ekau
William M. Landing
Christopher J. Zappa
Abstract
The sea surface microlayer (SML) is the boundary interface between the atmosphere and ocean, covering about 70% of the Earth’s surface. With an operationally defined thickness between 1 and 1000 μm, the SML has physicochemical and biological properties that are measurably distinct from underlying waters. Recent studies now indicate that the SML covers the ocean to a significant extent, and evidence shows that it is an aggregate-enriched biofilm environment with distinct microbial communities. Because of its unique position at the air-sea interface, the SML is central to a range of global biogeochemical and climate-related processes. The redeveloped SML paradigm pushes the SML into a new and wider context that is relevant to many ocean and climate sciences.
Wurl O., Ekau W., Landing W.M. and Zappa C.J. (2017) Sea surface microlayer in a changing ocean – A perspective. Elementa Science of the Anthropocene 5: 31. 10.1525/elementa.228
@article{Wurl2017,
Title = {Sea surface microlayer in a changing ocean – A perspective},
Author = {Wurl, Oliver and Ekau, Werner and Landing, William M. and Zappa, Christopher J.},
Editor = {},
Journal = {Elementa Science of the Anthropocene},
Year = {2017},
Pages = {31},
Volume = {5},
Doi = {10.1525/elementa.228},
Abstract = {The sea surface microlayer (SML) is the boundary interface between the atmosphere and ocean, covering about 70% of the Earth’s surface. With an operationally defined thickness between 1 and 1000 μm, the SML has physicochemical and biological properties that are measurably distinct from underlying waters. Recent studies now indicate that the SML covers the ocean to a significant extent, and evidence shows that it is an aggregate-enriched biofilm environment with distinct microbial communities. Because of its unique position at the air-sea interface, the SML is central to a range of global biogeochemical and climate-related processes. The redeveloped SML paradigm pushes the SML into a new and wider context that is relevant to many ocean and climate sciences.},
}
TY - JOUR
AU - Wurl, Oliver
AU - Ekau, Werner
AU - Landing, William M.
AU - Zappa, Christopher J.
TI - Sea surface microlayer in a changing ocean – A perspective
T2 - Elementa Science of the Anthropocene
PY - 2017
SP - 31
VL - 5
DO - 10.1525/elementa.228
AB - The sea surface microlayer (SML) is the boundary interface between the atmosphere and ocean, covering about 70% of the Earth’s surface. With an operationally defined thickness between 1 and 1000 μm, the SML has physicochemical and biological properties that are measurably distinct from underlying waters. Recent studies now indicate that the SML covers the ocean to a significant extent, and evidence shows that it is an aggregate-enriched biofilm environment with distinct microbial communities. Because of its unique position at the air-sea interface, the SML is central to a range of global biogeochemical and climate-related processes. The redeveloped SML paradigm pushes the SML into a new and wider context that is relevant to many ocean and climate sciences.
ER -
