Two approaches to determining the sea-to-air flux of dimethyl sulfide: satellite ocean color and a photochemical model with atmospheric measurements

Two estimates of the ocean-to-atmosphere flux of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) are presented to determine the feasibility of using remotely sensed data to map the marine sources of a photoreactive trace gas. First, an empirical relationship between chlorophyll a and DMS in surface seawater is used with NASA coastal zone color scanner (CZCS) data for chlorophyll a pigment to derive a mean DMS flux for a region in the tropical North Atlantic for October 1980. This is compared with the sea-to-air flux derived from a one-dimensional photochemical model. The applicability of the results to strategies for satellite remote sensing of the tropospheric sulfur cycle is discussed. -from Authors