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Simó & Dachs 2002
Simó, R. and Dachs, J. (2002). Global ocean emission of dimethylsulfide predicted from biogeophysical data. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 16. doi: 10.1029/2001GB001829. issn: 0886-6236.

Among the biosphere-atmosphere interactions that influence climate, the emission of dimethylsulfide (DMS) from the ocean plays a prominent role for its high potential in cloud albedo regulation. In order to advance in our understanding and quantification of this coupled ocean-atmosphere system, both synoptic and predictive capabilities must be largely improved. Hitherto, large-scale oceanic DMS has eluded being captured from remote sensing, correlated with synoptic variables, or simulated by mechanistic modeling. We have found a simple empirical relationship that permits global-ocean monthly distributions of DMS concentration to be computed from a combination of remotely sensed biospheric data (chlorophyll a) and climatological geophysical data (mixed layer depth). This relationship allows for the desired synopticity and predictability in the ocean-to-atmosphere sulfur flux, which we have globally quantified as 23--35 Tg S yr-1. Also, our algorithm stands in support of a biogenic-DMS/solar-radiation negative feedback and opens the door toward quantifying its strength and its response to global warming.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Atmospheric Composition and Structure, Air/sea constituent fluxes (3339, 4504), Global Change, Remote sensing, Oceanography, Biological and Chemical, Biogeochemical cycles, Oceanography, Biological and Chemical, Gases, Oceanography, Biological and Chemical, Modeling
Journal
Global Biogeochemical Cycles
http://www.agu.org/journals/gb/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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