engleski

Physical study of the sea surface microlayer films

The sea surface microlayer (SSM) forms the interface between the atmosphere and oceans covering about 71% of the Earth’ s surface. Although the SSM is temporally and structurally unstable, it hosts the main exchange processes of organic matter, gases, heat and energy between those two compartments. The enrichment of the SSM in organic matter affects physical features of the air-sea interface thus influencing the air-sea fluxes. Hence, it is of considerable interest to get insight into morphology, structural changes and build-up mechanisms of the natural SSM. In this study the microlayers were investigated without any pre-treatment and as ex-situ reconstructed films after previous microlayer extraction by organic solvents of different polarity. Monolayer technique has been applied for investigations of elastic properties of different microlayers throughout determination of the surface compression modulus. Alongside, Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) was used for characterization and optical visualization of microlayers at the air-water interface without perturbing their structure and/or morphology. Fractal analysis of 2D BAM images enabled new assign into the morphology and structural changes of original microlayers and reconstructed films in static and dynamic condition.

sea surface microlayer; monolayer techniqe; Brewster angle microscopy; fractal analysis

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