DISL team on subarctic research

The Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s (DISL) Dr. Ron Kiene is leading a team of American and Canadian scientists on a research cruise to the subarctic North Pacific Ocean to study the cycling of organic sulfur compounds. The 17-day National Science Foundation-sponsored cruise will be on the research vessel Oceanus, based out of Oregon State University. The cruise departed Alaska on Aug. 11. It ends Aug. 27. The researchers will be studying a natural chemical called DMSP, which is produced by the microscopic plants in the ocean called phytoplankton. Phytoplankton grows profusely in the northeast Pacific. DMSP is cycled rapidly by microbes in seawater, especially the bacteria. In fact, Kiene’s work has shown that DMSP is a major 'food' source for marine bacteria, which is important in the ecology. DMSP is also decomposed into two volatile sulfur gases that transfer from the ocean to the atmosphere. Once in the air, the sulfur gases oxidize into particles of sulfuric acid that affect atmospheric chemistry and potentially climate by affecting the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface. The team consists of six members from DISL/USA Marine Sciences. The seven others are from the University of British Columbia, University of Southern California, and University of Georgia. Dr. Kiene is the Chief Scientist for the cruise and responsible for the overall organization of the research expedition. DISL is located on Dauphin Island, Ala. (Source: DISL 08/11/17)