SGER: The Biogeochemistry of Polonium as a Marine Carbon Tracer

9318318丘奇将进行先导实验，这将为开发钋及其种类作为重要的海洋示踪剂开辟道路。这些实验包括：(1)确定实验室培养物中钋的挥发性物种，例如那些多产的硫气体产生者，重点关注潜在的烷基化物种；(2)描述钋在多产的沿海（盐沼）、（大陆架断裂）和开阔的（北大西洋）地表水中的分布和物种形成，已知钋在季节性过剩的地方，在生物系统中分馏，并产生沉积有机物质。这些实验将建立在先前NSF硫资助下收集的现有证据的基础上。这些实验的重要意义应该为钋作为上层海洋碳循环、碳基和硫基生物气体的海气交换以及碳流向下层沉积物的强大示踪剂的未来发展指明道路。

9318318 Church Pilot experiments will be performed that will lead the way toward developing polonium and its species as an important marine tracer. These experiments include: (1) defining the volatile species of polonium in laboratory cultures, such as those that are prolific sulfur gas producers, focusing on potential alkylated species, and (2) describing polonium distribution and speciation in productive coastal (salt marshes), (shelf break), and open (for North Atlantic) surface waters, where it is known to be seasonally in excess, and fractionated in biological systems and resulting sedimentary organic material. These experiments will build on existing evidence gathered under a previous NSF sulfur grant. The significance of the experiments should lead the way to future development of polonium as a powerful tracer of carbon cycles in the upper ocean, air-sea exchange of carbon and sulfur based biogases, and carbon fluxes to underlying sediments.