Air-Sea Exchange and Budget of Sulfur and Oxygen-Containing Volatile Organic Compounds in the Pacific Ocean

By combining proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) and gradient flux (GF) technique, in situ measurement of air-sea fluxes of multiple volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was developed and deployed. Starting in 2008, we made in situ observations of air-sea fluxes at 15 locations as well as underway observations of marine air/surface seawater bulk concentrations in the Pacific Ocean, during eight research cruises by R/V Hakuho-Maru. The fluxes of biogenic trace gases, DMS and isoprene, were always positive, with the magnitudes being in accordance with previously reported. In contrast, the fluxes of oxygenated VOCs including acetone and acetaldehyde varied from negative to positive, suggesting that the tropical and subtropical Pacific are a source, while the North Pacific is a sink. A basin-scale budget of VOCs were determined for 4 biogeochemical provinces in the Pacific Ocean, and the role of oceans for VOCs were discussed with respect to physical and biogeochemical processes.