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Low yields of SO 2 from dimethyl sulfide oxidation in the marine boundary layer
Author(s) -
Bandy A. R.,
Scott D. L.,
Blomquist B. W.,
Chen S. M.,
Thornton D. C.
Publication year - 1992
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 - 10.1029/92gl01041
Subject(s) - dimethyl sulfide , sulfur dioxide , aerosol , sulfur , environmental science , boundary layer , atmospheric sciences , sulfide , carbonyl sulfide , climatology , environmental chemistry , chemistry , oceanography , meteorology , geology , inorganic chemistry , geography , thermodynamics , physics , organic chemistry
Sulfur dioxide and dimethyl sulfide were determined in the marine boundary layer of the northeast Pacific Ocean west of Seattle, Washington. The mean DMS and SO 2 concentrations were 75 and 28 pptv, respectively. During periods of high DMS levels (180 pptv) we found that SO 2 levels remained low (25 pptv) and statistically the same as periods of low DMS. Sulfur dioxide showed no observable diurnal variation indicating that nonphotochemically driven losses to aerosol and other surfaces cannot explain the low SO 2 levels observed. We conclude that a low efficiency of conversion of DMS to SO 2 is the most likely explanation for the low SO 2 levels. Implications of the low yield of SO 2 in terms of the kinetics of oxidation of DMS are discussed.