Science Nation: Sea Spray--Complex Chemistry With Big Effects on Climate

Sea spray aerosols occur naturally in the salty ocean air, and there’s much more in each of those tiny bursting bubbles than salt. They’re bursting with ocean life, from bacteria to phytoplankton--even viruses. Because sea spray aerosols seed clouds, they affect the climate. With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), atmospheric chemist Kimberly Prather of the University of California, San Diego, and chemist Vicki Grassian of the University of Iowa are leading a team of scientists around the country who are working to better understand what role sea spray aerosols play in weather and climate change climate models. Part of the National Science Foundation Series “Science Nation.”

(Source: DCMP)