Climate regulation by marine phytoplankton. : A test by anthropogenic SO/sub 2/ emissions

Conference · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:6085612

Schwartz, S. E.

The potential sensitivity of global mean albedo and temperature to N prompted a novel suggestion consistent with the Gaia hypothesis for regulation of global climate by marine phytoplankton. Certain species of coccolithophores excrete dimethylsulfide (DMS), and this DMS is arguably the principal source of reduced sulfur gases in the global atmosphere and, in the absence of anthropogenic SO/sub 2/, the principal source of atmospheric gaseous sulfur species. Such gaseous sulfur species are oxidized in the atmosphere to form sulfuric acid, which rapidly forms an aerosol. Since sulfate-containing AP are highly efficient CCN, it is argued that an increase in DMS production by marine phytoplankton would yield increased concentrations of CCN, resulting in increased cloud albedo, decreased surface insolation, and decreased planetary temperature. It is further hypothesized that such decreased insolation or temperature might result in decreased production of DMS by marine phytoplankton, i.e., that the process might constitute a negative feedback loop for regulation of planetary climate by marine microorganisms. 18 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6085612
• Report Number(s): BNL-42744; CONF-8906154-1; ON: DE89014708
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
ALBEDO
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CLIMATES
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
MODIFICATIONS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYTOPLANKTON
PLANKTON
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
SEAS
SOLS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SURFACE WATERS