Little is known about how the presence of microplastic in the environment affects the thermal radiation emitted, however some observations reveal increasing temperatures in coastal sediment. It is therefore hypothesized that the abundance of microplastics in coastal settings is playing some part in the rising temperatures, impacting the radiative properties of both sand and water. Plastic is also accumulating at shorelines, although the influence of its presence on the radiation and temperature of the sediment is unknown. In this work we seek to determine the relationship between the amount of microplastic and the radiative properties of water and sand. Both temperature and brightness temperature measurements are being collected for sample mixtures at different temperatures to determine the emissivity per mixture. Preliminary results show both sand and water emissivities have nonlinear relationships varying with the proportion of plastic present in the medium. The findings will improve our ability to remotely detect plastic on beaches and in the ocean, and thus enabling us to monitor environmental change more effectively.
The Effect of Microplastic on the Radiative Properties of Sand and Water
Abundant microplastics on coastlines could be subtly reshaping the climate, by modifying how sand and water absorb and reflect heat.
