Challenges and stratospheric relevance of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt

durch Birgit Quack (GEOMAR)

Mittwoch 23.09.2026, 13:15 → 14:30 Europe/Berlin

5-1.214 - ATLANTIK / ATLANTIC - Linke Seite – Großer, unterteilbarer Konferenzraum (GEOMAR - Standort Ostufer / GEOMAR - East Shore)

Abstract:

Since 2011, the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) has developed into a vast seasonal accumulation of the floating algae Sargassum natans and S. fluitans, extending from West-Africa to the Caribbean and teh Gulf of Mexico. Massive coastal strandings increasingly affect coastal environments and communities. I provide an overview of the GASB and based on experiments conducted during a research cruise across the tropical Atlantic, I highlight the emerging significance of the GASB as a major regional source of brominated compounds, with implications for stratospheric ozone.

Meeting-Link:
https://geomar.webex.com/geomar/j.php?MTID=md937eba167cd3b2e3369e55c3113828b