PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Mercury and ozone depletion events in the Arctic linked to sea-ice dynamics

DRI scientists' co-author study examining changing atmospheric chemistry in fragile northern ecosystems

2014-01-16
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Justin Broglio
justin.broglio@dri.edu
775-673-7610
Desert Research Institute
Mercury and ozone depletion events in the Arctic linked to sea-ice dynamics DRI scientists' co-author study examining changing atmospheric chemistry in fragile northern ecosystems

RENO - This week a new study published in Nature and co-authored by Drs. Chris Moore and Daniel Obrist of Nevada's Desert Research Institute establishes, for the first time, a link between Arctic sea ice dynamics and the region's changing atmospheric chemistry potentially leading to increased amounts of mercury deposited to the Earth's northernmost and most fragile ecosystems.

The opening and closing of sea ice leads (large cracks in the ice that expose warmer seawater to the cold polar atmosphere) create a pumping effect, explained Moore, an assistant research professor in DRI's atmospheric science division, that in turn causes atmospheric depletion events. These events are coupled with the destruction of ozone and ultimately the deposition of atmospheric mercury onto snow and ice, a portion of which can enter Arctic ecosystems during snowmelt.

"The atmospheric mixing created when thinner, seasonal sea ice opens to form leads is so strong," Moore said, "that it actually pulls down mercury from a higher layer of the atmosphere to near the surface."

Scientists have long known that complex chemical reactions involving sunlight deposit mercury out of the air to the surface, but these processes normally stop once the mercury near ground level is completely removed. The newly discovered mixing induced by sea ice leads forces down additional mercury to restart and sustain these reactions.

Moore and his colleagues, including researchers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., measured increased concentrations of mercury near ground level after leads opened near Barrow, Alaska, in 2012 during the NASA-led Bromine, Ozone, and Mercury Experiment (BROMEX) field project. They also used images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument on NASA's Terra satellite to observe sea ice and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration model of air transport to gain insight into what was upwind of their mercury measurements.

Obrist, also a research professor at DRI and co-leader of the Institute's Environmental Mercury Laboratory, said, "the 'aha' moment came when we combined satellite data with the air transport model and surface measurements. We considered a variety of chemical processes and sources to explain the increased levels of mercury we observed, until we finally realized it was this pumping process."

The authors estimate the mercury pumping occurs about a quarter-mile (400 meters) above the Arctic surface, the height where visible roiling clouds spewing out of sea ice leads extend.

Moore said while the initial findings support needed actions to curb mercury pollution across the globe, future research will be needed to establish the degree to which changes in sea ice dynamics across the Arctic alter ozone chemistry and impact mercury deposition throughout the sensitive region.



INFORMATION:

The funding for this research was supported jointly by NASA, Environment Canada, and the Desert Research Institute.

About the Desert Research Institute: DRI, the nonprofit research campus of the Nevada System of Higher Education, strives to be the world leader in environmental sciences through the application of knowledge and technologies to improve people's lives throughout Nevada and the world.

For more information on BROMEX, visit:

http://airbornescience.jpl.nasa.gov/highlights/bromine-ozone-and-mercury-experiment-bromex

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2013EO330002/abstract

All DRI news releases available at: http://news.dri.edu/



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Crittercam captures crocodilian foraging behaviors (videos)

2014-01-16
Crittercam captures crocodilian foraging behaviors (videos) Video footage reveals novel insights into alligator's cryptic foraging behaviors Animal-borne camera reveals that alligators may attempt to capture prey most often at night, even though the calculated probability ...

Using progesterone for hot flashes shown safe for women's cardiovascular health

2014-01-16
Using progesterone for hot flashes shown safe for women's cardiovascular health Treatment with progesterone, a naturally occurring hormone that has been shown to alleviate severe hot flashes and night sweats in post-menopausal women, poses little ...

Breakthrough announced in treatment of patient with rare type of leukemia

2014-01-16
Breakthrough announced in treatment of patient with rare type of leukemia University of Leicester researchers deploy 'precision medicine' to successfully target advanced form of leukaemia with skin cancer drug A team of scientists from the University of Leicester ...

A deeper look at interfaces

2014-01-16
A deeper look at interfaces Researchers at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source develop new technique for probing subsurface electronic structure "The interface is the device," Nobel laureate Herbert Kroemer famously observed, referring to the remarkable ...

Trees grow faster and store more carbon as they age

2014-01-16
Trees grow faster and store more carbon as they age Trees put on weight faster and faster as they grow older, according to a new study in the journal Nature. The finding that most trees' growth accelerates as they age suggests that large, old trees may ...

2 diabetes studies in Jan. 2014 Health Affairs

2014-01-16
2 diabetes studies in Jan. 2014 Health Affairs Jan. articles examine the toll of diabetes, both in the US and abroad Poorer Americans: depleted food budgets can mean higher risk of hypoglycemia. For generations, economists have noted that low-income households spend much ...

Researchers discover that coevolution between humans and bacteria reduces gastric cancer risk

2014-01-16
Researchers discover that coevolution between humans and bacteria reduces gastric cancer risk Research carried out in two distinct communities in Colombia illustrates how coevolution between humans and bacteria can affect a person’s risk ...

New analysis shows fewer years of life lost to cancer

2014-01-16
New analysis shows fewer years of life lost to cancer Dartmouth researchers say US has underestimated its progress in war on cancer (Lebanon, NH, 1/15/14) - Since the enactment of the National Cancer Act in 1971, the U.S. has spent hundreds ...

Ray of hope for magazines in digital era

2014-01-16
Ray of hope for magazines in digital era Targeted audiences and websites can help magazines weather the onslaught of online competition There is a ray of hope for magazines that do it right. While print media continue to suffer at the hands of their online counterparts, ...

Resisting the flu

2014-01-16
Resisting the flu New avenues for influenza control suggested by identification of an enzyme that plays a crucial role in resistance to the infection McGill researchers, led by Dr. Maya Saleh of the Department of Medicine, have identified an enzyme, cIAP2 that helps the ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Transgene-free genome editing in poplar trees: A step toward sustainable forestry

Single-dose psychedelic boosts brain flexibility for weeks, peer-reviewed study finds

Sex differences drive substance use patterns in panic disorder patients

Multi-omics meets immune profiling in the quest to decode disease risk

Medication-induced sterol disruption: A silent threat to brain development and public health

Shining a light on DNA: a rapid, ultra-sensitive, PCR-free detection method

European hares are thriving in the city: New monitoring methods reveal high densities in Danish urban areas

Study: middle-aged Americans are lonelier than adults in other countries, age groups

World’s leading science competition identifies 19 breakthrough solutions around the globe with greatest potential to tackle the planetary crisis

Should farm fields be used for crops or solar? MSU research suggests both

Study: Using pilocarpine drops post goniotomy may reduce long-term glaucoma medication needs

Stanford Medicine researchers develop RNA blood test to detect cancers, other clues

Novel treatment approach for language disorder shows promise

Trash talk: As plastic use soars, researchers examine biodegradable solutions

Using ChatGPT, students might pass a course, but with a cost

Psilocibin, or “magic mushroom,” use increased among all age groups since decriminalization in 2019

More Americans are using psilocybin—especially those with mental health conditions, study shows

Meta-analysis finds Transcendental Meditation reduces post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms across populations and cultures

AACR: Five MD Anderson researchers honored with 2025 Scientific Achievement Awards

How not to form a state: Research reveals how imbalanced social-ecological acceleration led to collapse in early medieval Europe

Introduced trees are becoming more common in the eastern United States, while native diversity declines

The chemical basis for life can form in interstellar ice

How safe is the air to breathe? 50 million people in the US do not know

DDT residues persist in trout in some Canadian lakes 70 years after insecticide treatment, often at levels ten times that recommended as safe for the wildlife which consumes the fish

Building ‘cellular bridges’ for spinal cord repair after injury

Pediatric Academic Societies awards 33 Trainee Travel Grants for the PAS 2025 Meeting

Advancing understanding of lucid dreaming in humans

Two brain proteins are key to preventing seizures, research in flies suggests

From research to real-world, Princeton startup tackles soaring demand for lithium and other critical minerals

Can inpatient psychiatric care help teens amid a depressive crisis?

[Press-News.org] Mercury and ozone depletion events in the Arctic linked to sea-ice dynamics
DRI scientists' co-author study examining changing atmospheric chemistry in fragile northern ecosystems