Knowra Sea surface microlayer Sea surface microlayer The sea surface microlayer is the ocean’s uppermost layer, typically about one millimeter thick, with chemical and biological properties distinct from the water below.
Surface tension : The tendency of a liquid surface to resist deformation, arising from molecular forces at the interface. Molecular interactions at the air–water boundary help concentrate compounds in the microlayer.
Dissolved organic matter : The diverse mixture of organic molecules dissolved in aquatic environments. Its surface-active components can accumulate at the air–sea boundary.
Sea spray aerosol : Aerosol particles formed from seawater droplets ejected by bursting bubbles and breaking waves. These particles can carry organic compounds concentrated in the microlayer into the atmosphere.
Glass plate sampling : A method that collects the sea surface microlayer by withdrawing a plate through the surface film. It samples the uppermost film directly, though collection depth depends on withdrawal conditions.
Sea surface microlayer thickness : The vertical depth assigned to the ocean’s surface microlayer in sampling or analysis. Its thickness varies with method and conditions, complicating comparisons across studies.
Langmuir circulation : Wind-driven, counter-rotating surface currents that form elongated convergence zones in the ocean. Its convergence zones gather buoyant material and alter microlayer patchiness.
Surfactant : A substance that lowers surface tension by accumulating at a liquid interface. Surfactants help form films and change the microlayer’s physical and chemical behavior.
Marine aerosol : Airborne particles generated from oceanic sources, including sea spray, biological material, and gases. Microlayer composition helps shape the organic fraction of ocean-derived airborne particles.
Neuston net : A surface-towed net designed to collect organisms and particles from the upper ocean. It captures larger surface-dwelling organisms that can be missed by thin-film samplers.
Ocean carbon cycle : The movement and transformation of carbon among the ocean, atmosphere, organisms, and sediments. How surface enrichment changes carbon exchange remains important to quantify.
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