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Regional sinks of bromoform in the Southern Ocean
Author(s) -
Mattsson Erik,
Karlsson Anders,
Abrahamsson Katarina
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/grl.50783
Subject(s) - bromoform , sink (geography) , oceanography , environmental science , wind speed , atmospheric sciences , sea ice , climatology , geology , geography , chemistry , chromatography , chloroform , cartography
Bromoform in surface water and air was measured in the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean during the austral summer 2007/2008 onboard research vessel icebreaker Oden . Highest concentrations and oversaturation in water were found over the continental shelves and close to the sea‐ice edge in the Bellingshausen Sea. In open ocean areas, concentrations were comparably low, and the water was undersaturated. Air mixing ratios in these regions were influenced by surrounding areas as revealed by wind back trajectories. For wind that had travelled over coastal regions, thawing sea‐ice, or areas with elevated chlorophyll concentrations, increased bromoform levels in air were found in the downwind direction. The results show the importance of high spatial and temporal resolution in measurements for assessments of air‐sea exchange of short‐lived compounds with strong local sources. As surrounding waters can act as a sink, the atmospheric load of such sources may be overestimated.