Subarctic Marine Biogenic Secondary Organic Aerosols During the Spring Phytoplankton Bloom after Sea Ice Retreat

It is essential to understand how biologically productive oceanic regions during phytoplankton bloom associated with sea ice melting contribute to the sea-to-air emission flux of atmospheric organic aerosols (OAs). The Sea of Okhotsk is one of the most biologically productive subarctic regions, where spring blooms after sea ice retreat have the potential to contribute to the formation of OAs. Shipboard measurements of aerosols and surface seawater (SSW) by Miyazaki et al (2025) highlight the preferential formation of N-containing secondary water-soluble OAs associated with the predominant diatoms, including ice algae, during the bloom after sea ice retreat in the Sea of Okhotsk. Their study provides insight into the importance of the seasonal sea ice zone as a source of secondary OAs, which has not yet been sufficiently understood.

Reference: Miyazaki, Y., Wang, Y., Tachibana, E., et al. (2025). Formation of marine atmospheric organic aerosols associated with the spring phytoplankton bloom after sea ice retreat in the Sea of Okhotsk. Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 18325-18340.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-18325-2025