Natural sulfur flux from the Gulf of Mexico: dimethyl sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, and sulfur dioxide. Technical report

Technical Report · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:5406010

Van Valin, C C; Luria, M; Wellman, D L; Gunter, R L; Pueschel, R F

Atmospheric measurements of natural sulfur compounds were performed over the northern Gulf of Mexico during the late summer months of 1984. Air samples were collected with an instrumented aircraft at elevations of 30-3500 m, during both day and night. Most air samples were representative of the clean maritime atmosphere, although some were from continental contaminated air during periods of offshore flow at the coastline. In all samples, carbonyl sulfide concentrations were within the range of 400-500 pptv. Conversely, the dimethyl sulfide concentrations showed significant variability: during clean atmospheric conditions the average of all measurements was 27 pptv, whereas under polluted conditions the average was 7 pptv. Measureable quantities of dimethyl sulfide (>5 pptv) were not observed above the boundary layer. The average sulfur dioxide concentration measured in the marine (clean) atmosphere was 215 pptv, which is consistent with the oxidation of dimethyl sulfide being its major source.

• Research Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO (USA). Air Resources Lab.
• OSTI ID: 5406010
• Report Number(s): PB-88-137484/XAB; NOAA-TR-ERL-432
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
ATLANTIC OCEAN
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
CARIBBEAN SEA
CHALCOGENIDES
GULF OF MEXICO
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEAS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SURFACE WATERS