SEA-AIR FLUX OF CARBON MONOXIDE
Principal Investigator:
Thomas P.
Carsey
Objective:
Determine the factors controlling the sea-to-air flux of carbon
monoxide (CO) in open ocean environments
Rationale:
Carbon monoxide is an important species in the control of
hydroxyl radical
concentration and a component of the biogeochemical carbon cycle.
The surface waters
of the open ocean are almost always supersaturated in CO
(Swinnerton et al., 1970).
Although the open oceans are apparently a minor source of CO to
the troposphere, with
a global contribution of ca 100 Tg CO yr-1 out of a total of ca
2500 Tg CO yr-1 (Warneck, 1988), high fluxes may occur in
localized areas (Springer-Young et al., 1995). Also,
in remote marine atmospheres, the role of marine CO sources will
necessarily be more
significant (Erickson and Taylor, 1992). This goal of this task
is to further elucidate the
marine contribution to carbon monoxide in the boundary layer.
Method:
Two methods for the determination of air-sea fluxes have been
adapted and
employed. A method employing simultaneous measurement of CO
concentrations in
air and in water (using an equilibrator system) has been used
(Carsey et al., 1995). In
addition, a gradient method for determination of gas fluxes
(Roether, 1983) has been
developed and was employed for CO on the 1993 ASTEX/MAGE cruise.
Accomplishment:
A preliminary investigation of the gradient method showed the
technique to have promise. A series of gradient experiments were
conducted during
June of 1992 at near the Azores in conjunction with the Atlantic
Stratocumulus
Transition Experiment, Marine Aerosol Gas Experiment (ASTEX/MAGE)
cruise. Episodes of quite elevated fluxes were observed
which were interpreted to
be the result of localized elevated productivity (Springer-Young
et al., 1995).
Key reference:
Roether, W, 1983. Field measurement of air-sea gas transfer: a
methodical search.
Bound.-Layer Met. 27, 97-103.
Carsey, T. P., M. L. Farmer, C. J. Fischer,
A. Mendez, A. A.
Pszenny, V.
Ross III, P.-Y. Whung, M. Springer-Young, and M. P.
Zetwo, 1994.
Atmospheric Chemistry
Measurements from the 1992 ASTEX/MAGE Cruise, 30-May-1992 through
21-July 1992,
Cruise Number 91-126. NOAA Data Report ERL AOML-26.
Carsey, T. P., M. L. Farmer, C. J. Fischer,
A. Mendez, Victor B.
Ross, M. Springer-Young, and M.P. Zetwo. Atmospheric Chemistry Measurements during Leg 4,
1993 North
Atlantic Cruise, R/V Malcolm Baldrige. NOAA Data Report, NOAA Data Report ERL
AOML-28, February, 1996.
Erickson, D. J. III, and J. A. Taylor, 1992. 3-D tropospheric CO
modeling: the possible
influence of the ocean. Geophys. Res. Lett. 19,
1955-1958.
Springer-Young, M., D. J. Erickson III, and T. P. Carsey, Carbon Monoxide
Gradients in the Marine Boundary Layer of the North Atlantic.
J. Geophys. Res. 101, 4479, 1996.
Swinnerton, J. W., V. J. Linnenbom, and R. A. LaMontagne, 1970.
The ocean: a natural
source of carbon monoxide. Science 167, 984-986.
Warneck, P., 1988. Chemistry of the Natural Atmosphere.
Academic Press, Inc., Vol.
41, International Geophysics Series, New York.
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