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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Index Terms

  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Air/sea constituent fluxes
  • Oceanography: Biological and Chemical: Gases
  • Oceanography: Biological and Chemical: Aerosols
  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Biosphere/atmosphere interactions

Abstract

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 29, 1021, 3 PP., 2002
doi:10.1029/2001GL013967

Export fluxes of dimethylsulfoniopropionate and its break down gases at the air-sea interface

M. Dileep Kumar

National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403 004, India

D. M. Shenoy

National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403 004, India

V. V. S. S. Sarma

National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403 004, India

M. D. George

National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403 004, India

M. Dandekar

National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403 004, India

Dimethylsulfide (DMS) results from the decomposition of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), a biogenic product, in seawater. Diffusive transfer of DMS from sea-to-air is known to be the most important source of natural non- seasalt sulfur (NSS) in the atmosphere. Here, we report on the wider occurrence of DMSP in marine aerosols for the first time. We found DMSP (to about 4.7 pmol m−3) and DMS (up to 5.8 pmol m−3) in marine aerosols, over the Indian Ocean, wherein DMSP abundance appears to be a function of its concentration in surface seawater and wind speeds. An experiment on board revealed rapid loss (90%) of loaded DMSP from filters exposed to marine atmosphere. Hence, a photochemical or other mode of formation of NSS gases from DMSP in aerosols or in surface microlayer, not considered hitherto, can directly contribute to sulfur efflux. Although our computations suggest the DMSP fluxes from these sources to be much smaller (3.4 × 1010 g S y−1) compared to DMS diffusive flux (16–25 × 1012 g S y−1) the former could be significant in rough weather conditions similar to trends in water export.

Published 24 January 2002.

Citation: Dileep Kumar, M., D. M. Shenoy, V. V. S. S. Sarma, M. D. George, and M. Dandekar (2002), Export fluxes of dimethylsulfoniopropionate and its break down gases at the air-sea interface, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29(2), 1021, doi:10.1029/2001GL013967.

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