Biogeosciences
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Articles | Volume 23, issue 6
Articles | Volume 23, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2101-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Special issue:
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2101-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 23, issue 6
Research article
 | Highlight paper
 | 
26 Mar 2026
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 26 Mar 2026

Wind-induced collapse of the biopolymeric surface microlayer induces sudden changes in sea surface roughness

Anja Engel, Gernot Friedrichs, Kerstin E. Krall, and Bernd Jähne

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Editorial statement
I am willing to support the recommendation by the associate editor to classify the manuscript as a highlight paper. Another reason for highlighting the mansucript is the fact that the study used natural seawater to mimic oceanic conditions. (The overwhelming majority of wind/wave tunnel studies uses freshwater.) Therefore, the results of the study by Engel et al. are unique because the study tried to come as close as possible to natural (i.e. oceanic) conditions.
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Short summary
We investigated how organic molecules in the ocean's surface layer accumulate and respond to wind. Using a large wind-wave tank filled with seawater, we found that natural molecules produced by marine microbes gather at the surface under light winds, slowing the exchange of gases such as carbon dioxide. When winds increase, this layer rapidly breaks down. These findings suggest that marine life can influence how the ocean and atmosphere interact, particularly in calm conditions.
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