Short-Lived Trace Gases in the Surface Ocean and the Atmosphere

The two-way exchange of trace gases between the ocean and the atmosphere is important for both the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere and the biogeochemistry of the oceans, including the global cycling of elements. Here we review these exchanges and their importance for a range of gases whose lifetimes are generally short compared to the main greenhouse gases and which are, in most cases, more reactive than them. Gases considered include sulphur and related compounds, organohalogens, non-methane hydrocarbons, ozone, ammonia and related compounds, hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Finally, we stress the interactivity of the system, the importance of process understanding for modeling, the need for more extensive field measurements and their better seasonal coverage, the importance of inter-calibration exercises and finally the need to show the importance of air-sea exchanges for global cycling and how the field fits into the broader context of Earth System Science

Dimethylsulphide production in the Southern Ocean using a nitrogen-based flow network model and field measurements from ACE-1

Dimethylsulphide (DMS) has been implicated in climate change as a possible negative feedback to global warming, and several Models have been developed that simulate the production of DMS in the marine environment. The focus of this study is to improve the nitrogen based Gabric Model, using field data collected during the Southern Hemisphere First Marine Aerosol Characterisation Experiment (ACE-1) in the Southern Ocean in 1995. Two Model Runs (Series A and B) were carried out with six simulations of varying biotic and abiotic inputs applied over the voyage transect (41-48°S), reflecting Model default values or field values from the experiment. The abiotic inputs were time-step, dissolved dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) and DMS, and the biotic nitrogen inputs were from phytoplankton, bacteria, zooflagellates, large protozoa, micro and mesozooplankton. The focus of the abiotic assessment was nutrient (nitrate) uptake and dissolved DMSP and DMS output. Model output of the biotic compartments was assessed for congruence with predicted ecological patterns of succession. Despite a limited data set the study provides a good insight into the utility of the Model, which functioned as a heuristic rather than predictive tool. In simulation 1 (Series A) where the only field value was nitrate, all latitudes from 41-48°S concurred with the ecological succession predicted by the Model authors and the successional pattern predicted by other researchers, with a double phytoplankton peak indicating remineralisation of nitrogen via the microbial loop. In many simulations the Model produced lower values of dissolved DMS than were measured, and production of DMS in the Model appears constrained. However, in simulation 5 (Series A) DMS model outputs were closest to the mean dissolved DMS levels reported on RV Discoverer. In this simulation, field values were used for phytoplankton, nitrate, dissolved DMSP and DMS, with bacterial abundance and micro and mesozooplankton increased over their Gabric default values. Also, the phytoplankton double peak occurred earlier, as did the peaks in bacteria, zooflagellates, and large protozoa. Simulations that deviated more significantly from the predicted successional patterns were characterised by single peaks in phytoplankton growth and delayed bacterial growth. Series C simulations at latitude 43°S, in an attempt to reduce phytoplankton predation by bacteria, increased DMS output reasonably successfully. However, significant recalibration of the Model is recommended in conjunction with field studies to gather vital background biological data - particularly in the areas of nutrient limitation, phytoplankton speciation, and the cellular content of the DMS precursor compound, DMSP

Recent advances in our understanding of dust source emission processes

The dust cycle can play an important role in the land–atmosphere–ocean system through interaction with biogeochemical cycles and direct and indirect radiative forcing of the atmosphere. One of the limiting factors for existing global models of dust transport, atmospheric processing and deposition is the quality and availability of data to allow evaluation and validation of emission schemes against in situ data from source regions. This review provides a critical overview of recent studies of aeolian processes from within or on dust sources, and focuses on studies dealing with retrieval of dust emission data, quantification of the contribution and variability of dust emissions from specific landforms, and the use of remote sensing data to reconcile dust storm inventories by direct comparison to dust source geomorphology. These case studies highlight significant advances in both field measurement and regional understanding of important components of the dust cycle derived through use of remote sensing data. However, recent research also demonstrates that most source regions exhibit significant spatial and temporal heterogeneity in dust emissions from candidate geomorphologies, which has direct implications for strategies aimed at inclusion of dust emission schemes at a scale relevant to climate models. To accommodate these factors and other significant scaling issues, additional research is needed to increase our quantification of a wider range of dust source types and geomorphological contexts over longer time periods