Particulate matter carried from the Earth’s landmasses settles into the seas, enriching them with essential nutrients required for plant life, such as phytoplankton. This particulate matter, abundant in iron and various vital minerals, plays a crucial role in marine food webs and assists in regulating the Earth’s climate.

A recent study, conducted by researchers from the University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO), uncovers more than four decades of significant seasonal and yearly trends regarding dust movement over the North Pacific Ocean adjacent to Hawaii.

The researchers identified two main seasonal bursts of dust, one spanning from roughly February to August, peaking in mid-April and accounting for 78 percent of the yearly dust, and another from September to January, peaking in mid-November and contributing 22 percent. These dust occurrences have shown minimal variations since the 1980s. Although the spring and summer bursts provide more dust, the fall and winter bursts coincide with peaks in ocean productivity, implying they may exert a greater influence on the marine ecosystem.

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