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Trace gases over the western Atlantic Ocean: Fluxes From the eastern United States and distributions in and above the planetary boundary layer
Author(s) -
Khalil M. A. K.,
Rasmussen R. A.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
global biogeochemical cycles
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.512
H-Index - 187
eISSN - 1944-9224
pISSN - 0886-6236
DOI - 10.1029/gb002i001p00063
Subject(s) - latitude , environmental science , trace gas , oceanography , atmospheric sciences , atmosphere (unit) , climatology , geology , meteorology , geography , geodesy
During January 1986 we took about 80 air samples on four aircraft flights over a horizontal surface parallel to the east coast of the United States spanning latitudes from 30°N to 46°N and altitudes from near the Earth's surface to about 6 km above. These measurements were part of the Western Atlantic Ocean Experiment (WATOX). The prevailing winds carry man‐made pollutants from the densely populated and industrialized eastern United States to regions over the western Atlantic. The measurements taken over the vertical surface intercept the pollutants. By calculating the fluxes of gases through this surface we obtained estimates of emissions from the eastern United States during winter. We estimate that every day about 165 tons of man‐made chlorine‐containing gases passed through the region of measurements. Some 3,200 tons/day of light hydrocarbons (C 2 and C 3 ) , 25,300 tons of methane, and nearly 40,000 tons of carbon monoxide were also transported every day from the east coast to the western Atlantic. These estimates can probably be extended to the entire winter; however, the fluxes can change dramatically during other seasons.