Tracing terrestrial dissolved organic carbon export from the Arctic Ocean: linking terrestrial biomarkers to organic matter fluorescence properties (39483)

A vast reservoir of organic carbon exists as dissolved organic matter (DOM) in all natural waters. DOM is a super-mixture of organic compounds and subsequently difficult to characterize and trace. A portion of DOM is fluorescent when illuminated with UV light and this property can be used as a proxy for quantitative and qualitative changes in DOM.

Since 2003 Denmark has maintained a world leading position in the field of dissolved organic matter spectroscopy. The research results attained have influenced the design and development of laboratory and field fluorometers.

The focus of this project is on quantifying the export of organic carbon from the Arctic Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. We request funding the purchase of a new state of the art spectral fluorometer for characterising dissolved organic matter (DOM) and co-funding for a visiting professorship from the USA for the establishment of a combined liquid chromatography UV-Visible spectroscopy technique to quantify terrestrial biomarkers (lignin) in ocean waters.

Partners
National Institute of Aquatic Resources, DTU Aqua, (coordinator)
Norwegian Polar Institute, Norway
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Germany

Funding
The projects is funded by Carlsberg Foundation.

Research area: Oceanography