Bubbles, Droplets, Climate: Tellus’s Enduring Influence on Sea Spray Aerosol Research

[Geoengineering News]

https://tellusjournal.org/articles/10.16993/tellus.4143

Authors: Matthew E. Salter

17 July 2026

Abstract

Sea spray aerosol (SSA) is an important aspect of air–sea exchange. It influences atmospheric chemistry, cloud formation, biogeochemical cycling, and the long-range transport of both natural and anthropogenic material. A number of early studies on SSA were published in Tellus, including the first direct evidence that bursting bubbles at the ocean surface generate particles. Critically, these fundamental studies, which reach across the fields of bubble physics, interfacial chemistry, and air–sea interaction, initiated decades of subsequent research. In this Perspective article, I outline how the results of these studies have led to today’s mechanistic understanding of SSA production. I trace key developments, from the demonstration of jet and film drop formation, through evidence for selective chemical fractionation during bubble bursting, to modern field techniques that link the physical, chemical, and biological drivers of SSA production. I also highlight the emergence of mesocosm systems, advanced analytical methods, and dedicated wave-channel facilities, which have enabled a molecular-level understanding of nascent SSA composition and the transfer of surface-active pollutants. Throughout the article, I explore how insights from the field, rooted in early Tellus publications, help frame a number of outstanding challenges. These include quantifying size-resolved SSA emissions in a changing climate, assessing how microbial and biogeochemical processes shape SSA composition and properties, and constraining the climatic relevance of SSA. The latter is particularly pertinent given the increasing interest in marine cloud brightening. By revisiting the trajectory from early Tellus studies to present-day research, this contribution underscores the journal’s continuing influence on air–sea interaction science and outlines opportunities for future SSA studies.

Source: Tellus Journal