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Prospero et al. 1985
Prospero, J.M., Savoie, D.L., Nees, R.T., Duce, R.A. and Merrill, J. (1985). Particulate sulfate and nitrate in the boundary layer over the North Pacific Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research 90: doi: 10.1029/JD090iD06p10586. issn: 0148-0227.

Concentrations of aerosol NO3- and non-sea-salt (nss) SO4= have been measured in samples collected weekly between January 1981 and March 1982 at seven stations in the Sea-Air Exchange Program Asian Dust Network in the North Pacific between 4¿N and 53¿N. Mean NO3- concentrations were relatively uniform, ranging between 0.18 and 0.35 μg/m3 STP; mean nss SO4= ranged from 0.37 to 1.20 μm/m3 STP. At most stations there was no consistent correlation between NO3- and nss SO4= or between these species and mineral aerosol. At Midway these species did covary in a clear and consistent manner; this correlation appears to be forced by large-scale meteorological factors. In some cases, high nss SO4= concentrations were associated with high mineral aerosol concentrations; this suggests that the SO4= in these episodes was transported from the continents. A particularly impressive event occurred in May 1981, when much of the North Pacific region was affected by extremely high nss SO4= concentrations; evidence suggests that the SO4= was not derived from the soil material itself. At Fanning Island, NO3- concentrations showed a strong seasonal variation; there is evidence that the high NO3- concentrations are attributable to transport from the continents. In contrast, nss SO4= concentrations at Fanning were relatively constant throughout the year, and they were consistent with recent estimates of the oceanic emission rates of sulfur as dimethyl suflide. The NO3- data from the tropics suggest that there is a relatively uniform background concentration of about 0.10 μg/m3 STP; this concentration is close to that recently predicted by models that assume only lightning and the stratosphere as sources for NOx.

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