Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

About: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is a nonprofit organization based out in Falmouth, Massachusetts, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Mantle (geology). The organization has 5685 authors who have published 18396 publications receiving 1202050 citations. The organization is also known as: WHOI.

Maritime Aerosol Network as a component of Aerosol Robotic Network

Abstract: The paper presents the current status of the Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN), which has been developed as a component of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). MAN deploys Microtops handheld Sun photometers and utilizes the calibration procedure and data processing (Version 2) traceable to AERONET. A web site dedicated to the MAN activity is described. A brief historical perspective is given to aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements over the oceans. A short summary of the existing data, collected on board ships of opportunity during the NASA Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) Project is presented. Globally averaged oceanic aerosol optical depth (derived from island-based AERONET measurements) at 500 nm is similar to 0.11 and Angstrom parameter (computed within spectral range 440-870 nm) is calculated to be similar to 0.6. First results from the cruises contributing to the Maritime Aerosol Network are shown. MAN ship-based aerosol optical depth compares well to simultaneous island and near-coastal AERONET site AOD.

Heterotrophic Bacteria and Bacterivorous Protozoa in Oceanic Macroaggregates

Abstract: Oceanic macroaggregates (marine snow and Rhizosolenia mats) sampled from the Sargasso Sea are associated with bacterial and protozoan populations up to four orders of magnitude greater than those present in samples from the surrounding water. Filamentous, curved, and spiral bacteria constituted a higher proportion of the bacteria associated with the particles than were found among bacteria in the surrounding water. Protozoan populations were dominated numerically by heterotrophic microflagellates, but ciliates and amoebas were also observed. Macroaggregates are highly enriched heterotrophic microenvironments in the oceans and may be significant for the cycling of particulate organic matter in planktonic food chains.

Pressurized Ventilation in the Yellow Waterlily

Abstract: Current models of gas transport in aquatic plants hold that gases diffuse in an essentially static gas phase within the lacunae according to gradients in their individual partial pressures. This study introduces a new model of gases gas transport wherein the gases move through waterlilies in a mass flow. The internal gas spaces in Nuphar constitute a pressurized flow—through system, with ambient air entering the youngest emergent leaves against a small gradient in total gas pressure. This pressurization phenomenon is the result of purely physical processes driven by the gradients in temperature (thermal transpiration) and water vapor (hygrometric pressure) between the atmosphere and the lacunae of the youngest emergent leaves. The lacunae are continuous throughout the entire plant, and the older leaves vent the elevated pressure generated by the younger leaves. This arrangement gives rise to a flow—through pattern, accelerating both the rate of O2 supply from the atmosphere to the roots, and the rate of CO2 and CH4 transport from the roots towards the atmosphere. This ventilation system represents an important adaptation by the waterlily to life in anaerobic sediments.

Marine isotope stage 3 sea level fluctuations: Data synthesis and new outlook

Abstract: [1] To develop a better understanding of the abrupt Dansgaard-Oeschger mode of climate change, it is essential that we establish whether the ice sheets are actively involved, as trigger or amplifier, or whether they merely respond in a passive manner. This requires careful assessment of the fundamental issues of magnitude and phasing of global ice volume fluctuations within marine isotope stage 3 (MIS 3), which to date remain enigmatic. We review recent advances in observational studies pertaining to these key issues and discuss the implications for modeling studies. Our aim is to construct a robust stratigraphic framework for the MIS 3 period regarding sea level variability, using the most up-to-date arguments available by combining insights from both modeling and observational approaches.