Wind-driven spume droplet production and the transport of Pseudomonas syringae from aquatic environments.

ABSTRACT: Natural aquatic environments such as oceans, lakes, and rivers are home to a tremendous diversity of microorganisms. Some may cross the air-water interface within droplets and become airborne, with the potential to impact the Earth's radiation budget, precipitation processes, and spread of disease. Larger droplets are likely to return to the water or adjacent land, but smaller droplets may be suspended in the atmosphere for transport over long distances. Here, we report on a series of controlled laboratory experiments to quantify wind-driven droplet production from a freshwater source for low wind speeds. The rate of droplet production increased quadratically with wind speed above a critical value (10-m equivalent 5.7 m/s) where droplet production initiated. Droplet diameter and ejection s

SUBMITTER: Pietsch RB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6163035 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature