NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Black Carbon in Estuarine (Coastal) High-molecular-weight Dissolved Organic MatterDissolved organic matter (DOM) in the ocean constitutes one of the largest pools of organic carbon in the biosphere, yet much of its composition is uncharacterized. Observations of black carbon (BC) particles (by-products of fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning) in the atmosphere, ice, rivers, soils and marine sediments suggest that this material is ubiquitous, yet the contribution of BC to the ocean s DOM pool remains unknown. Analysis of high-molecular-weight DOM isolated from surface waters of two estuaries in the northwest Atlantic Ocean finds that BC is a significant component of DOM, suggesting that river-estuary systems are important exporters of BC to the ocean through DOM. We show that BC comprises 4-7% of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) at coastal ocean sites, which supports the hypothesis that the DOC pool is the intermediate reservoir in which BC ages prior to sedimentary deposition. Flux calculations suggest that BC could be as important as vascular plant-derived lignin in terms of carbon inputs to the ocean. Production of BC sequesters fossil fuel- and biomass-derived carbon into a refractory carbon pool. Hence, BC may represent a significant sink for carbon to the ocean.
Document ID
20040031783
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Mannino, Antonio
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Harvey, H. Rodger
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
September 7, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2003
Subject Category
Environment Pollution
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
No Preview Available