John Crusius | Network Partner / Network Partner

USGS & University of Washington, USA

Dr Crusius brings expertise in the geochemical impacts of dust deposition in terrestrial and marine environments. He is actively carrying out research examining the processes of dust formation and transport from the glacierized southern coast of Alaska, and the biogeochemical impacts of that dust on the ocean. This dust is thought to be an important source of the micronutrient iron, which limits biological productivity in the Gulf of Alaska. In August of 2011 his research group initiated year round time-series measurements on Middleton Island, located at the continental shelf break in the Gulf of Alaska. This coastal Alaskan dust source was only very recently recognized as a dust source to the Gulf of Alaska. Sampling has continued through two full dust seasons and two full winters, to date. The data will make a valuable contribution to the Network’s digital atlas be enabling comparisons across the northern hemisphere with Canadian and Icelandic dust sources.