TRANSIENT TRACERS AND AIR-SEA GAS TRANSFER

This paper provides a review of the physics and chemistry associated w ith air-sea gas transfer of transient atmospheric trace gases and the available laboratory and field measurement techniques used to study ai r-water gas transfer. The mechanistic principles and their relation to the measurement techniques are used to show that the error associated with estimating air-sea transfer velocities of transient tracers from transfer velocities measured using proxy tracers can be significant i f an incorrect dependence of the transfer velocity on molecular diffus ivity is assumed. Bubble-mediated transfer processes are also demonstr ated to have a significant effect on the parameterization bf the trans fer velocity.