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Chemistry of dimethyl sulfide in the equatorial Pacific atmosphere

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/96GL00779· OSTI ID:245158
; ;  [1]
  1. Drexel Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States); and others

A field study of the chemistry of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) was conducted on the island of Kiritimati (Christmas Island) during July and August, 1994. This island is located at 2{degrees}N, 157{degrees}W approximately 2000km south of Hawaii. The authors obtained a very repeatable diurnal variation for both DMS and sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) during two 5-day and one 2-day experiments. Near sunrise DMS was about 200pptv. It decreased to about 120 pptv by late afternoon. During the daytime SO{sub 2} increased from about 20 pptv to about 75 pptv. At night DMS increased and SO{sub 2} decreased almost linearly. About 62% of the DMS was converted to SO{sub 2}. DMS was emitted from the ocean at an average flux of 3.7 x 10{sup 13} molecules in m{sup {minus}2}s{sup {minus}1}. The average dry deposition velocity of SO{sub 2} was 6.8 mm sec{sup {minus}1} Most of the SO{sub 2} appeared to be lost to the ocean although a comparable but not significantly larger flux to aerosol cannot be ruled out. Dimethyl sulfoxide was in the range 10 to 50 pptv with a mean of about 25 pptv. Dimethyl sulfone was in the range 0 to 15 pptv with a mean of about 3 pptv. There was no diurnal trend in other species. A much smaller fraction of the DMS was converted to dimethyl sulfone than dimethyl sulfoxide. 27 refs., 2 fig., 2 tab.

OSTI ID:
245158
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 23; ISSN GPRLAJ; ISSN 0094-8276
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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