Diatoms

Current research includes investigation of the uptake of iron, zinc and other metals into the frustules of diatoms to evaluate their impact on Southern Ocean metal cycles.    Samples for this investigation were taken by colleague Peter Morton on the CLIVAR S04P oceanographic cruise covering the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean. Diatoms are being characterized using synchrotron based sub micron scale X-ray fluorescence mapping and spectroscopy.

 

 

 

 

Elemental Maps of Antarctic Diatoms produced using mirco XRF techniques at the Argonne Synchrotron. Note the incorporation of both Fe and Zn into the Si frustule of these diatoms.

 

 

 

 

 

Phosphorus

For our past studies of unique phosphorus cycling processes in the Antarctic, we collected samples of dissolved and particulate materials from the waters and ice of the Ross and Amundsen Seas during the 2008/2009 cruise of the Swedish Icebreaker, Oden.