Polysaccharides─Important Constituents of Ice-Nucleating Particles of Marine Origin

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c08014
• Publication Date: 2025-03-07T12:50:20Z
• Authors: Susan Hartmann; Roland Schrödner; Brandon T. Hassett; Markus Hartmann; Manuela van Pinxt...; Khanneh Wadinga F...; Frank Stratmann; Hartmut Herrmann; Mira Pöhlker; Sebastian Zeppenfeld
• Keywords: Ice nucleus

Remote marine regions are characterized by a high degree of cloud cover that greatly impacts Earth's radiative budget. It is highly relevant for climate projections to represent the ice formation in these clouds. Therefore, it crucial understand sources ice-nucleating particles (INPs) enable primary formation. Here, we report polysaccharides produced four different aquatic eukaryotic microorganisms (Thraustochytrium striatum, Tausonia pullulans, Naganishia diffluens, Penicillium chrysogenum) as responsible macromolecules (INMs) samples originating from biosphere. By deriving classical nucleation theory-based parametrization polysaccharidic INMs and applying global model simulations, comparison currently available atmospheric INP observations demonstrates 44% contribution total INPs origin within -15 -20 °C. The results highlight relevance biological part population remote regions.