My group focuses on the aerosol chemistry of the marine atmosphere and the biogeochemical effects of the long range atmospheric transport of materials from the continents to the ocean environment. Dust has a great impact on the chemistry of the atmosphere, oceans and sediments. Indeed, our work served as the foundation for the recent interest in the role of windborne iron as an important limiting nutrient in many ocean regions. We also study the marine nitrogen and sulfur cycle.
Humans activities account for about half of the atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen budget.
Our strategy is to characterize the chemical climatology of sulfur and nitrogen species in aerosols over the oceans. We also study the physical properties of aerosols which play an important role in climate through radiation and cloud processes. Recent evidence suggests that, on a global scale, anthropogenic aerosols result in a cooling that is comparable in magnitude, but opposite in sign, to the hypothesized heating attributed to CO2 and the other greenhouse gases. This suggestion has spurred a major interest in our area of research. Recent Publications Zhu, X, J.M. Prospero, D.L. Savoie, F.J. Millero, R.G. Zika and E.S. Saltzman.