The National Science Foundation awarded a $137,450 Project Grant to The George Washington University under the Geosciences federal grant program (CFDA 47.050) from March 15, 2023 to May 31, 2024. The grant will fund research to quantify the breakup of organic marine aggregates due to fluid forces caused by turbulence or swimming organisms. Specifically, the grantee will measure the breakup characteristics of organic settling particles in both laboratory and at-sea experiments to advance understanding of how disaggregation impacts the vertical transport of particulate matter in the ocean. Laboratory work will include culturing and forming phytoplankton into aggregates prior to inducing disaggregation using calibrated turbulence, then quantifying aggregate size, shape, and structure before and after breakup using imaging techniques. Additionally, an in-situ instrument will be developed to disrupt and measure particles during deployment in the North Atlantic spring bloom, collecting detailed data on breakup characteristics, organic content, and ambient turbulence at varying depths. The research aims to clarify the conditions under which disaggregation is important and how aggregate properties influence breakup distribution. Findings will support development of future marine particle disaggregation models for the oceanographic community.
Mod # | Description | Reason For Modification | Federal Obligation (Click to sort descending) | Date (Click to sort ascending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $137.5k | 4/10/23 |