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Sea-air gas transfer: The wind speed dependence

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Abstract

The rates of transfer of radon from sea to air estimated by Peng et al. (1979) from an extensive series of observations of radon profiles made during the Geosecs oceanographical cruises, are reexamined in relation to wind speed dependence. It is concluded that there is a significant increase with wind speed, but the extent of the increase is uncertain. At 7 m s-1, the transfer velocity is indicated to be some 33%; greater than the BOMEX value of Broecker and Peng (1974) — a reasonably close agreement These rates exceed the theoretical smooth-surface value by a factor of two or three. It is shown that little of this excess can be attributed to the surface dilation effect of capillary waves.

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Deacon, E.L. Sea-air gas transfer: The wind speed dependence. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 21, 31–37 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00119365

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