OREO - Ocean Research enhancement through EarthCARE Observations of dust

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Key nutrients deposited in the open ocean, including among others nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), silica (SiO₂), and iron (Fe), are essential for regulating phytoplankton growth, thereby affecting marine productivity, ocean colour, and the ocean’s capacity to absorb atmospheric CO2. Among these nutrients, iron (Fe) availability is the most significant limiting factor for phytoplankton growth across large and open oceanic regions of the Earth. The atmospheric deposited iron into the open ocean is considered a central regulating factor influencing and regulating phytoplankton growth and ocean productivity. However, iron concentrations in extensive open ocean regions are extremely low, where aeolian transported mineral dust serves as the primary source of nutrients. The European Space Agency (ESA) “Ocean Research enhancement through EarthCARE Observations of dust” (OREO) activity aims to leverage on state-of-the-art Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) observations and optical products to shed more light on atmospheric dust interaction with the ocean and to improve our understanding on the dust impact on the sustainability of marine ecosystems. More specifically, to-date, a major open scientific question characterized still by high uncertainties in the dust cycle is the quantification of the actual amount of dust that is deposited into the open ocean. Improving our current state of knowledge on the quantification of atmospheric dust deposition and the corresponding variability across the ocean is essential for addressing unresolved questions about dust’s biogeochemical impacts on marine ecosystems and climate.

OREO challenge is now to bring ESA/JAXA EarthCARE observations and optical products together with diverse existing satellite-based CDRs (ESA-DOMOS and ESA-LIVAS), advanced modelling outcomes (MONARCH and EC-Earth3), other novel observations (i.e., NASA-EMIT and CALIPSO), and in-situ information. To these aims, OREO will capitalize on the huge potential offered by the combination of the emerging EO-based capabilities and establish a full 4D reconstruction of the global atmosphere system relevant to the cycle of dust in terms of deposition along the ocean and the marine ecosystems. The overarching objective of the activity is to advance our fundamental understanding of the processes governing dust aerosol deposition, by exploiting the above EO-based, modelling, and in-situ datasets in an integrated approach. Through enhancing our understanding on the role of atmospheric-deposited iron-containing mineral dust into the ocean, through comparison with ESA - Climate Change Initiative (CCI) provided Chl-a and POC timeseries, the ESA activity aims to bridge major knowledge gaps in ocean sciences with respect to the complex processes governing the role of the oceans in the Earth and climate system, the marine biology and ecosystems and advance our capacity to better understand and describe complex and poorly understood processes on ocean-land-atmosphere interactions.

Project overview

OREO Technical Objectives:

To create a unique 4D-reconstruction of the dust full cycle including deposition and to advance our understanding of the trends in dust deposition over the Ocean by exploiting EarthCARE-based observations and model outputs.
To generate and evaluate state-of-the-art model reconstructions of the atmospheric iron cycle and of its impact upon ocean biogeochemistry, including OREO soluble iron deposition and dust-composed mineral subclassified fractions.
To demonstrate the added value of this novel approach and identify any gaps in the observing system that need to be filled in order to have a complete picture of interactions between atmospheric dust and ocean.

OREO Scientific Objectives:

To what extent dust deposition over the global ocean has changed over the last 20 years? Can we identify robust trends satellite-based Earth Observations and model datasets and if yes, how can we verify them. Although estimates have been attempted before, there is the need to look at longer time-series such as those provided by synergies of different satellite-based systems and reanalysis and climate models, and develop tailor-made satellite retrievals from multiple sensors and platforms, aimed at quantifying dust deposition. This is a challenge as dust deposition is not directly observable from satellites. Moreover, observations must be complemented with model-based information. Also, independent observations of dust deposition are needed to quantify the quality of the model-based and reanalysis-based reconstructions as well as to evaluate the performance of the bespoken EarthCARE-ATLID satellite retrievals.
What is the contribution (1) of soluble iron and (2) of different dust minerals (e.g., Hematite, Goethite, Kaolinite) in dust deposited into the ocean?
It is unclear not only the impact of dust on marine ecosystems, however more light needs to be shed also on the impact on the different deposited minerals and the contribution.
What are the impacts of changes in dust deposition on marine biogeochemistry and their potential effects on ecosystems, referring to responses of Chl-a and POC, as provided by ESA-CCI data records?
The connection between changes in dust deposition and the nutrients available for marine ecosystems (Chl-a and POC) needs further investigation with a concerted synergy of modelling and observations.

OREO Activities

Scientific Requirement Consolidation: To identify the main technical and scientific challenges, to provide a comprehensive description of the science goals, methods and datasets to be used, and detail the test areas and science cases of the activity, including the scientific and technical requirements, a consolidated risk analysis, and the proposed solutions.

Product Development and Validation: To develop and validate a novel EarthCARE-based climate data record of (a) atmospheric dust and (b) dust deposition in the ocean. This task will generate OREO’s experimental products, validate/evaluate the experimental products, and on the basis of the established algorithms and methods eventually will generate OREO’s prototype products.

Scientific Impact, Analysis and Assessment: To improve our understanding and quantify the dust deposition variability across the ocean and its composition, as well as to produce a long-term reconstruction of dust and iron and soluble iron deposition in the ocean. OREO will capitalize on developments performed, and more specifically on the 4D reconstruction of dust deposition at the global scale, to further constrain the atmospheric dust cycle in atmospheric models and ESMs including a synergistic evaluation of the dust vertical profiles and deposition fields. OREO will also improve our knowledge about potential dust biogeochemical impacts on marine ecosystems through the generation of a long-term global dust and soluble iron deposition reconstruction.

Scientific Roadmap: To assess and exploit the scientific results of the OREO project in terms of establishment of a Scientific Roadmap to foster OREO outcomes into future scientific activities and operational activities and to enhance the potential of OREO scientific developments and outcomes to enable applications and solutions for society in terms of challenges of our era.

Promotion and Coordination: To enhance dissemination of the research undertaken in the framework of the activity, facilitate direct access to core information of the project as well as to the accepted by the Agency final and accepted Deliverable Items, to promote the research outputs to maximize the scientific impact.

Project consortium and people

National Observatory of Athens (NOA)

The Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing (IAASARS) is one of the three institutes of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA), the oldest research organization in Greece, non-profit, independent research institute. Nowadays, IAASARS/NOA is the largest institute in its field in Greece, with long-standing expertise and know-how in multidisciplinary space and environmental sciences. The members of IAASARS/NOA have broad expertise in the field of Earth Observation methods and scientific applications, and have extended experience in data analysis from space-borne and ground-based instruments, theoretical development and techniques.

IAASARS/NOA role in OREO

The experimental and theoretical work of the Remote sensing of Aerosols, Clouds and Trace gases (ReACT ) group of IAASARS/NOA is dedicated to the development and application of novel measuring methodologies for remote sensing of atmospheric processes and constituents, and innovative products, with the ReACT activities targeted towards understanding both the physical and chemical processes in the atmosphere. The group’s mission is to promote world-class atmospheric research in the area by shedding light on problems of compelling scientific interest and increasing social relevance. The OREO-related activities of ReACT include the establishment of (i) a four-dimensional atmospheric dust climate data record (CDR) and subsequently (ii) of a dust deposition rate quantification across the ocean CDR, both to be established on the basis of EarthCARE-ATLID and CALIPSO-CALIOP earth observations. More specifically, the main core roles of IAASARS/NOA in this project include the generation of OREO Experimental and Prototype Products OREO products and support in the Validation and Evaluation activities to be carried out towards ensuring the quality of the developments. Moreover, IAASARS will actively contribute to the scientific exploitation of OREO CDRs with focus on providing insight on dust deposition changes over the past two decades.

Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC)

The Barcelona Supercomputing Center - Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC), established in 2005, is a research and national supercomputer facility center that combines unique HPC facilities and in-house top research departments. The BSC is the main provider of public supercomputing services in Spain, including not just access to cutting-edge computers and technology but also top-of-the-range training and education, the development of purpose-built applications for both public and private actors, and first-class innovation, hosting the MareNostrum supercomputer series. Established in 2006, the Earth Sciences Department of the BSC (BSC-ES) is structured around five groups (Climate Variability and Change, Atmospheric Composition, Computational Earth Sciences, Earth System Services, and Global Health Resilience), with more than 200 employees, including technical and support staff.

BSC role in OREO

The experimental and theoretical work of the BSC-ES is based on modelling and understanding the behaviour of the Earth’s system. Within the Department the Atmospheric Composition group develops a modelling capability to combine atmospheric dynamical and chemical processes relevant at a wide range of spatial scales, and investigates their impacts on weather, air quality, climate, health and ecosystems. A core activity of the group is dust modelling and forecasting, and as a result of its excellence, the BSC-ES hosts the WMO Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System for North Africa, the Middle East and Europe. The main core roles of BSC in this project include (i) the evaluation of model-based global dust deposition and mineralogy products, (ii) the generation of a long-term dust and soluble iron reconstruction, and (iii) the contribution to the assessment of the dust deposition timeseries. For this, BSC will make use of the in-house developed MONARCH atmosphere-chemistry model and the community Earth System Model EC-Earth3-Iron, which account for state-of-the-art capabilities in dust and the atmospheric iron cycle representation.

Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)

The Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) e.V. is the Federal Republic of Germany's research center for aeronautics and space. DLR conducts research and development activities in the fields of aeronautics, space, energy, transport, security and digitalization. The DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics (DLR-PA) investigates the physics and chemistry of the global atmosphere from the Earth's surface up to the upper boundary of the middle atmosphere at about 120 km height, answers questions associated with atmospheric processes and with relevance to the research programmes "Aeronautics, Space, and Transportation" and "Energy" of the Helmholtz Association (HGF). The DLR Institute of Atmospheric Physics (DLR-PA) has a long history in performing airborne remote-sensing (lidar and radar) and in-situ measurements. It develops airborne lidar methods and airborne demonstrator systems for planned space application, with profound experience in synergistic retrievals; applied on aircraft and satellite measurements. DLR-PA is furthermore an expert in the preparation and validation of satellites and satellite measurements.

DLR role in OREO

The lidar department of DLR-PA is a world expert in lidar development and lidar application for atmospheric research. A strong focus is on the measurements of aerosol, and the development of retrievals to study aerosols and their interaction with clouds and radiation, including participation in quality assurance of novel geoinformation products, such as the envisaged OREO atmospheric dust and dust deposition products. DLR-PA core role in OREO is to contribute by leading OREO Task related to the validation of experimental and prototype products of atmospheric dust and dust deposition rate. For this, DLR-PA will use its measurements performed during the PERCUSION campaign, part of the ORCESTRA campaign. The PERCUSION campaign measurements will be analyzed with respect to dust properties relevant to OREO overarching objectives.

Publications

OREO publications in peer-reviewed journals and conferences will be available soon.

OREO Outputs

The OREO data will be available soon.