Articles | Volume 26, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1699-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1699-2026
Research article
 | 
03 Feb 2026
Research article |  | 03 Feb 2026

Aerosol organic nitrogen across the global marine boundary layer: distribution patterns and controlling factors

Ningning Sun, Xu Yu, Jian Zhen Yu, Bo Zhang, Yilan Li, Ye Hu, Zhe Li, Zhenlou Chen, and Guitao Shi

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This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Climate of the Past (CP).
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Cited articles

Alsante, A. N., Thornton, D. C. O., and Brooks, S. D.: Effect of Aggregation and Molecular Size on the Ice Nucleation Efficiency of Proteins, Environ. Sci. Technol., 58, 4594–4605, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c06835, 2024. 
Altieri, K. E., Fawcett, S. E., Peters, A. J., Sigman, D. M., and Hastings, M. G.: Marine biogenic source of atmospheric organic nitrogen in the subtropical North Atlantic, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 113, 925–930, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1516847113, 2016. 
Altieri, K. E., Fawcett, S. E., and Hastings, M. G.: Reactive Nitrogen Cycling in the Atmosphere and Ocean, Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci., 49, 523–550, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-083120-052147, 2021. 
Anonymous: A fresh look at element distribution in the North Pacific Ocean, Eos Trans. Am. Geophys. Union, 78, 221–221, https://doi.org/10.1029/97EO00148, 1997. 
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Atmospheric particles over the ocean contain organic nitrogen, affecting climate and ecosystems. This first pole-to-pole study of marine air reveals a strong latitudinal divide, with higher concentrations in the polluted Northern Hemisphere. A key discovery is that air influenced by Antarctic sea ice is enriched in organic nitrogen, revealing a major natural source. Our new dataset improves climate models by clarifying how human emissions and natural processes shape the atmosphere.
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