EarthRef.org Reference Database (ERR)
Development and Maintenance by the EarthRef.org Database Team

Detailed Reference Information
Schery & Huang 2004
Schery, S.D. and Huang, S. (2004). An estimate of the global distribution of radon emissions from the ocean. Geophysical Research Letters 31: doi: 10.1029/2004GL021051. issn: 0094-8276.

There is a need for improved estimates of the radon (222Rn) flux density from the ocean for use in the modeling and interpretation of atmospheric radon in global climate and air pollution studies. We use a modification of a frequently used model of gas transfer to generate global predictions of ocean radon flux density for each month of the year (climate averaged) on a 192 by 94 global grid. Compared with the often-used approximation of a constant radon flux from the ocean, the model's predictions indicate large variations over regions of the ocean (a factor of ten is not uncommon). For example, latitude bands near the equator and Southern Ocean are predicted to emit relatively high average radon flux compared with other latitude bands. The predicted annually-averaged flux density from the ocean is 0.0382 mBq m-2 s-1 (0.00182 atoms cm-2 s-1), smaller than some commonly-used estimates.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Atmospheric Composition and Structure, Air/sea constituent fluxes (3339, 4504), Global Change, Atmosphere (0315, 0325), Oceanography, Biological and Chemical, Radioactivity and radioisotopes
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009-1277
USA
1-202-462-6900
1-202-328-0566
service@agu.org
Click to clear formClick to return to previous pageClick to submit