“Iron is a key micronutrient for primary production in the surface ocean. Iron isotopes can provide a window into the sources and cycling of iron to the surface and deep ocean. In this paper we analyze iron isotopes from three unique settings: the Congo River coastal margin, the Benguela Upwelling System, and the South Atlantic gyre. We found that the Congo River enriches surface waters with iron up to distances greater than 1000km from the outlet of the river. This significant and previously underestimated iron delivery has the potential to alleviate much of the iron limitation in the South Atlantic. Additionally, we found that iron isotopes have the potential to be an effective tracer of water mass movement in the deep ocean in this region, providing insight into the relative proportions of the sources of iron in each water mass.”
– Hannah Hunt, Ph.D. student in the lab of Dr. Tim Conway