 Boundary layer where all exchange occurs between the atmosphere and the ocean |
The sea surface microlayer (SML) is the boundary interface between the atmosphere and ocean, covering about 70% of Earth's surface. With an operationally defined thickness between 1 and 1,000 μm (1.0 mm), the SML has physicochemical and biological properties that are measurably distinct from underlying waters. Recent studies now indicate that the SML covers the ocean to a significant extent, and evidence shows that it is an aggregate-enriched biofilm environment with distinct microbial communities. Because of its unique position at the air-sea interface, the SML is central to a range of global marine biogeochemical and climate-related processes.1
The sea surface microlayer is the boundary layer where all exchange occurs between the atmosphere and the ocean.2 The chemical, physical, and biological properties of the SML differ greatly from the sub-surface water just a few centimeters beneath.3