From Sea Ice to Sky: A Fresh View on Primary Polar Aerosols

 

Polar oceans and sea ice are important yet poorly constrained sources of primary aerosol particles that influence cloud formation and climate. In a new synthesis published in Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene, Jessie Creamean and coauthors review how primary aerosols including sea salt, organic matter, and biological particles are emitted from seawater, sea ice, snow, and meltwater, and how they evolve once airborne. These particles interact with sunlight and can act as cloud condensation nuclei and ice nucleating particles, shaping polar cloud properties, precipitation, and the surface energy balance. The study highlights major knowledge gaps, including limited observations, uncertain emission processes, and the need for improved model representation. It also emphasises that rapid environmental changes such as declining sea ice, increasing precipitation, and shifting marine ecosystems may significantly alter aerosol emissions and cloud interactions across both the Arctic and Antarctic.

Reference: Creamean, J.M., Miller, L.A., van Pinxteren, M., et al. (2026). Polar primary aerosols across the ocean-sea ice-snow-atmosphere interface: From sources to impacts. Elem. Sci. Anth, 14, 00065. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2025.00065