Whiting event

A whiting event is a phenomenon that occurs when a suspended cloud of fine-grained calcium carbonate precipitates in water bodies, typically during summer months, as a result of photosynthetic microbiological activity or sediment disturbance. The phenomenon gets its name from the white, chalky color it imbues to the water. These events have been shown to occur in temperate waters as well as tropical ones, and they can span for hundreds of meters. They can also occur in both marine and freshwater environments. The origin of whiting events is debated among the scientific community, and it is unclear if there is a single, specific cause. Generally, they are thought to result from either bottom sediment re-suspension or by increased activity of certain microscopic life such as phytoplankton. Because whiting events affect aquatic chemistry, physical properties, and carbon cycling, studying the mechanisms behind them holds scientific relevance in various ways. Whiting event clouds consist of calcium carbonate polymorphs; aragonite tends to be the dominant precipitate, but some studies in oligotrophic and mesotrophic lakes show calcite is favored. Whiting events have been observed in tropical and temperate waters, and they can potentially cover hundreds of meters. They tend to occur more often in summer months, as warmer waters promote calcium carbonate precipitation, and in hard waters. Whitings are typically characterized by cloudy, white patches of water, but they can also be tanner in hue in very shallow waters (less than 5m deep). In some cases, the whiting might be cryptic (not visible at the surface), but still generate calcium carbonate. These shallow water whiting events also tend to last less than a day in comparison to deeper water events that can last for several days up to several months. Regardless of the event's lifespan, the clouds it produces increase turbidity and hamper light penetration. Some debate exists surrounding the exact cause of whiting events.