(Invited Presentation) Atmospheric Nutrient Inputs to the Atlantic Ocean

The SEAREX programme led by Bob Duce established that atmospheric transport from land to sea is a quantitatively important component of the Earth System for many elements. In this presentation we will describe our recent studies that have attempted to better quantify the atmospheric input of the key nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and iron to the Atlantic Ocean. We will summarise results of our field measurements of aerosol and rainwater composition from ships, and use these to estimate fluxes. We will consider the chemical speciation and bioavailability of the different nutrients and emphasise both what we know, and what we do not know about the controls on this bioavailability. We will then consider the impacts of this atmospheric deposition on the ocean biogeochemistry of different regions of the Atlantic Ocean and how this might change in the future.