Abstract
Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) plays a major role in the global sulfur cycle. In
addition, its atmospheric oxidation products contribute to the formation and
growth of atmospheric aerosol particles, thereby influencing cloud
condensation nuclei (CCN) populations and thus cloud formation. The pristine
summertime Arctic atmosphere is strongly influenced by DMS. However,
atmospheric DMS mixing ratios have only rarely been measured in the
summertime Arctic. During July–August, 2014, we conducted the first high
time resolution (10 Hz) DMS mixing ratio measurements for the eastern
Canadian Archipelago and Baffin Bay as one component of the Network on
Climate and Aerosols: Addressing Key Uncertainties in Remote Canadian
Environments (NETCARE). DMS mixing ratios ranged from below the detection
limit of 4 to 1155 pptv (median 186 pptv) during the 21-day shipboard
campaign. A transfer velocity parameterization from the literature coupled
with coincident atmospheric and seawater DMS measurements yielded air–sea DMS
flux estimates ranging from 0.02 to 12 µmol m−2 d−1.
Air-mass trajectory analysis using FLEXPART-WRF and sensitivity simulations
with the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model indicated that local sources
(Lancaster Sound and Baffin Bay) were the dominant contributors to the DMS
measured along the 21-day ship track, with episodic transport from the Hudson
Bay System. After adjusting GEOS-Chem oceanic DMS values in the region to
match measurements, GEOS-Chem reproduced the major features of the measured
time series but was biased low overall (2–1006 pptv, median 72 pptv),
although within the range of uncertainty of the seawater DMS source. However,
during some 1–2 day periods the model underpredicted the measurements by
more than an order of magnitude. Sensitivity tests indicated that non-marine
sources (lakes, biomass burning, melt ponds, and coastal tundra) could make
additional episodic contributions to atmospheric DMS in the study region,
although local marine sources of DMS dominated. Our results highlight the
need for both atmospheric and seawater DMS data sets with greater spatial and
temporal resolution, combined with further investigation of non-marine DMS
sources for the Arctic.
Citation
ID:
197592
Ref Key:
mungall2016atmosphericdimethyl