The ammonia of the Guano does not form the particles, but lies the process that does, Boyer said.
“It is really the Dimethylsulfide of Fytoplankton that releases the sulfur,” he said. “The ammonia improves the formation percentage of particles. Without ammonia, sulfuric acid can form new particles, but with ammonia it is 1000 times faster, and sometimes even more, so we talk to four orders of size faster because of the Guano.”
This is important in Antarctica, specifically because there are not many other sources of particles, such as pollution or emissions by trees, he added.
“So the power of the source is important in terms of the climate effect over time,” he said. “And if the source changes, this will change the climate effect.”
More research is needed to determine whether Penguin Guano has a net cooling effect on the climate. But in general he said, when the particles transport to the sea and contribute to cloud formation, they have a cooling effect.
“What is also interesting,” he said, “is that if the clouds are over ice surfaces, this can even lead to warming because the clouds are less reflective than the ice underneath.” In that case, the clouds could reduce the amount of heat that would reduce clearer ice, otherwise that would otherwise reflect from the planet. The study did not try to measure that effect, but it can be an important topic for future research, he added.
The Guano effect continues, even after the birds leave the breeding areas. A month after they were gone, Boyer said that ammonia levels in the air were still 1000 times higher than the basic line.
“The emission of ammonia is a temperature -dependent process, so it is likely that when the winter comes, the ammonia will be frozen,” he said. “But even before the penguins return, I would assume that as the temperature warms up, the Guano starts to broadcast ammonia again. And the penguins move around the coast everywhere, so it is possible that they simply fertilize a whole coast with ammonia.”
