Chromophoric dissolved organic material (CDOM) in Arctic surface waters, implications for solar heating

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The focus of this award is on the role of light-absorbing organic material (CDOM, for chromophoric dissolved organic material) in Arctic surface waters on sea ice retreat. The objectives are to 1) determine the sources of CDOM in the surface mixed layer of the western Arctic -- does it come from rivers, is it produced by phytoplankton, or by ice algae? 2) investigate how quickly and by what mechanism (photochemical or biological) the CDOM degrades, and 3) determine the impact of the CDOM on solar heating, thermal stratification, and ice melt. The PI and an associate will participate in a spring 2011 ice camp off Ellesmere Island in order to investigate these questions. The broader impacts of this research lie in its applications to understanding the recent and apparently ongoing retreat in the seasonal sea ice cover of the Arctic. It will directly impact the efforts of ocean modelers to simulate surface water processes that affect sea ice formation and melting.