Nanoparticle formation in marine airmasses: contrasting behaviour of the open ocean and coastal environments

Massive and rapid increases in nanoparticles have been observed at a remote coastal site in western Ireland. The same phenomenon was not detected aboard a ship situated approximately 160 km off-coast. On-shore nanoparticles correlated remarkably well with the march of the tide, peaking at low-water. This suggests a link between marine biogenic gas emissions (as yet unidentified) and nanoparticle formation events. This paper examines the contrasting behaviour observed at the coast and in the open ocean, with respect to nanoparticle formation.