How do Production Pathways of Sea Spray Aerosols Impact the Transfer of Particulate through Sea-Air Interface?

Sea spray aerosols (SSA) play a crucial role in transferring particulates from oceanic water to the atmosphere. The production pathways of SSA from bubble bursting include jet drops from bubble cavity collapse, surface film drops from bubble cap disintegration and collision film drops from underwater bubble collision. However, the particle transfer mechanisms within these drops remain unclear. This study systematically investigates particle enrichment and transfer across the three types of drops. While previous studies suggested only hydrophobic particles could be enriched by SSA, our findings reveal that both hydrophilic and hydrophobic particles can be enriched in all drop types, with surface film drops exhibiting significantly greater enrichment than previously reported. We propose for the first time that particle enrichment occurs during water drainage in the bubble film. These findings enhance our understanding of mass transfer at water-air interface.