Particle dynamics, scavenging & aggregation
August 25, 2026 @ 15:00 CEST · Moderated by Nolwenn Lemaitre
The fourth seminar in the 2026 GEOTRACES Early Career Online Seminar Series brought together two perspectives on how particles remove trace elements from the ocean, from the mechanics of scavenging to the role of particle composition.
From adsorption to regional boundary scavenging: bridging scales of trace element removal from the ocean — Prof. Christopher Hayes (University of Southern Mississippi, USA)
"Particulate matter in seawater acting as a removal term for trace elements, or chemical scavenging, has been recognized since the 1950's. In this talk, I review the history of the role of scavenging in chemical oceanography and results from our group showing how productive gyres, upwelling zones, hydrothermal plumes and nepheloid layers can all be seen as regional centers of scavenging removal."
Particle composition effect on trace metal scavenging in the global ocean — Asst. Prof. Yang Xiang (Louisiana State University, USA)
"Different particle phases vary in their ability to scavenge trace elements and their isotopes (TEIs). In this talk, I will highlight the disproportionate importance of manganese oxides in scavenging multiple TEIs in the global ocean, despite their relatively low abundance. I will also discuss recent advancements in particle scavenging models that incorporate surface area into parameterisations."
A recording of the seminar will be available on the GEOTRACES YouTube Channel.
For Zoom link information and updates, check the seminar web page.