Fluxes of soluble gases in the marine atmosphere surface layer

Abstract

Fluxes of HNO₃ and NH₃ to the sea-surface have been obtained from measurements of vertical concentration profiles. The obtained fluxes have been compared to fluxes calculated by the use of the resistance method, and the fluxes calculated from measurements based on the extrapolation of a log-linear profile were found to be an order of a magnitude higher than the fluxes obtained from the resistance method. The difference between these two calculated fluxes is explained by scavenging of the gases by sea-spray and chemical reactions. A simple model is constructed to calculate the vertical profiles for HNO₃ in the case of high chemical reactions. The high fluxes and the measured profiles are explained by the calculated profiles of HNO₃ where chemical reactions are taken into account. Since both sink/sources and horizontal inhomogeneity are influencing the NH₃ flux, it has not been possible to calculate profiles for this component by taking chemical reactions into account.