ATMOSPHERIC HYDROGEN-SULFIDE OVER THE EQUATORIAL PACIFIC (SAGA-3) Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Atmospheric H2S concentrations were measured over the equatorial Pacific on leg 1 of the third SovietAmerican Gases and Aerosols (SAGA 3) cruise during February and March 1990. Five NS transects were made across the equator between Hawaii and American Samoa. The concentrations ranged from below the detection limit of 0.4 0.5 (1 ) to 14.4 ppt with an average value of 3.6 2.3 ppt (1, n = 72). The highest concentrations were found on the easternmost two transects just south of the equator. The average concentration of 3.6 ppt observed on this cruise is the lowest reported value for background atmospheric H2S over the tropical oceans. A lack of correlation between 222Rn and H2S rules out a significant continental source. Model calculations indicate that the oceanic source of H2S in this region is in the range of 9 to 21 108 mol m2 d1. From this flux the concentration of free sulfide (H2S + S= ) in the surface mixed layer of the ocean is estimated to be in the range of 32 to 67 pmol L1. In the atmosphere the oxidation of H2S produces SO2 at a rate of 2.1 to 4.4 1011 mol m3 d1 which is only a small fraction of that estimated from the oxidation of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in this region. A diurnal cycle was not observed in the H2S data recorded during this cruise.

published proceedings

  • JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES

altmetric score

  • 3

author list (cited authors)

  • YVON, S. A., COOPER, D. J., KOROPALOV, V., & SALTZMAN, E. S.

citation count

  • 10

complete list of authors

  • YVON, SA||COOPER, DJ||KOROPALOV, V||SALTZMAN, ES

publication date

  • September 1993