Evaluation of DMS Flux and Its Conversion to SO(sub)2 in Tropical ACE 1 Marine Boundary Layer

A mass balance/photochemical modeling approach was used to evaluate the sea-to-air dimethyl sulfide (DMS) fluxes in tropical regions and part of the Southern Ocean. The flux determinations were based on 10 airborne observations by ACE 1 transit flights (i.e., Flights 4-9 and 29-32). The DMS flux values for the tropical regions ranged from 1.0 to 7.4 $\mu$mole/$m^2$/day with an average estimate of 4.2$\pm$2.3 $\mu$mole/$m^2$/day. The seasonal variations in the DMS flux predicted for the equatorial Pacific Ocean based on atmospheric DMS measurements were not entirely consistent with those derived from seawater DMS measurements were not entirely consistent with those derived from seawater DMS measurements reported in previous literature. Inhomogeneities in the DMS flux field were found to cause significant shifts in the atmospheric DMS levels even in the same sampling location. Accordingly, no definitive statement can be made at this stage regarding systematic differences or agreements in the DMS flux estimates from the two approaches. Moreover, this study strongly suggests that DMS oxidation is the most likely dominant source of SO$_2$in tropical regions, which is also supported by another set of compiled observations. Finally, these SO$_2$observations indicate that, when significant data was available for both the boundary and buffer layers, the vertical SO$_2$gradient between these two zones was primarily negative.