Methyl bromide and methyl chloride in the Southern Ocean Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Air and water concentrations of methyl bromide (CH3Br) and methyl chloride CHCl) were measured in the Southern Ocean (latitudes 45-67S, longitudes 144-139E) from late October through mid-December 2001. CH3Br and CH3Cl were undersaturated with mean saturation anomalies of -39 11% and -37 11% between 45 and 65S. The minimum degradation rate constants needed to maintain these saturation anomalies are consistent with the observed total degradation rate constants, suggesting that there is no significant production of these gases in this region. Near the Antarctic coast (south of 65S) the saturation anomalies for both gases decreased to approximately -80%, although CFC-11 measurements suggest these extreme anomalies are associated with enhanced vertical mixing rather than with degradation in the surface waters. Copyright 2004 by the American Geophysical Union.

published proceedings

  • JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS

author list (cited authors)

  • Yvon-Lewis, S. A., King, D. B., Tokarczyk, R., Goodwin, K. D., Saltzman, E. S., & Butler, J. H.

citation count

  • 25

complete list of authors

  • Yvon-Lewis, SA||King, DB||Tokarczyk, R||Goodwin, KD||Saltzman, ES||Butler, JH

publication date

  • February 2004