U.S.-France Cooperative Research: Processes Governing Air-Sea Transfer and Oceanic Cycling of Atmospheric Trace Elements

这个为期两年的奖项支持特拉华大学的Thomas M. Church和艾克斯-马赛第三大学的Alain Veron在大气化学方面的美法合作研究。合作的重点是共同关心的问题；也就是说，大气污染从北美和欧洲大陆输送到北大西洋。研究人员将研究大气微量元素的海气转移和海洋循环过程。将在两次联合国际巡航上取样，收集气溶胶、降水、雾和海水样本。然后将对这些样品进行痕量金属、稳定同位素和放射性核素的分析，这些是大陆来源和大气向海洋输送的标识符。这些大气元素及其同位素可用于追踪海洋环流和生物地球化学循环。美方将负责准备和组织远洋采样设备。大气和海洋样本将在新建立的法国清洁实验室以及美国在特拉华州和加利福尼亚州的现有实验室共同进行分析。美国研究人员为这次合作带来了稳定元素和放射性核素同位素分析方面的专业知识。这是由法国调查员开发的独特大气微量元素的补充。这些结果将促进我们对空气污染物的大陆起源及其在北大西洋沉积的认识。

This two-year award supports U.S.-France cooperative research in atmospheric chemistry between Thomas M. Church of the University of Delaware and Alain Veron of the University of Aix-Marseille III. The collaboration focuses on a problem of common concern; that is, the delivery of atmospheric pollution from both North American and the European continents to the North Atlantic Ocean. The investigators will study the processes governing air-sea transfer and oceanic cycling of atmospheric trace elements. Sampling will occur on two joint international cruises for aerosol, precipitation, fog and sea water samples. The samples will be then be analyzed for trace metals, stable isotopes and radionuclides which are identifiers of continental sources and atmospheric transports to the sea. These atmospheric elements and their isotopes are useful for tracing oceanic circulation and biogeochemical cycling. The U.S. side will prepare and organize the ocean going sampling equipment. The atmospheric and oceanic samples will be analyzed jointly in a newly established French clean laboratory and at existing U.S. laboratories in Delaware and California. The U.S. investigator brings to this collaboration expertise in analysis of stable elements and radionuclide isotopes. This is complemented by unique atmospheric trace elements developed by the French investigator. The results will advance our knowledge of continental origins of air pollutants and their deposition in the North Atlantic Ocean.