Saturation anomalies of alkyl nitrates in the tropical Pacific Ocean Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • This paper reports the first measurements of the saturation state of low molecular weight alkyl nitrates (methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, and npropyl nitrate) in the tropical Pacific Ocean. These compounds were supersaturated with saturation anomalies as high as 2000%. Air/sea flux estimates based on these measurements suggest that surface ocean emissions are sufficient to account for observed levels of tropospheric alkyl nitrates in this region. Model calculations suggest that atmospheric loss rates are faster than can be explained by photolysis and reaction with OH alone. The implication is that removal via transport is important, and there must be a net export of alkyl nitrates from the tropics to other regions of the atmosphere.

published proceedings

  • GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS

author list (cited authors)

  • Dahl, E. E., Yvon-Lewis, S. A., & Saltzman, E. S.

citation count

  • 34

complete list of authors

  • Dahl, EE||Yvon-Lewis, SA||Saltzman, ES

publication date

  • October 2005