Analysis of global budget and atmospheric impacts of oceanic volatile organic compounds with integrated observations and chemistry-transport modeling

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17KK0016
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental dynamic analysis
• Research Institution: National Institute for Environmental Studies
• Principal Investigator: Tanimoto Hiroshi 国立研究開発法人国立環境研究所, 地球システム領域, 副領域長 (30342736)
• Project Period (FY): 2018 – 2023
• Keywords: 大気化学 / 海洋有機物 / 硫化ジメチル / 地球観測 / モデリング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have made a database of low-molecular volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air and seawater in the open oceans, based on the observation data we have obtained in our past research cruises in the Pacific. With the atmospheric and marine concentrations of VOCs, air-sea fluxes are calculated and characterized for different areas of the open oceans. In addition, combining with the data obtained by other groups, global chemistry-transport model analyses were made with a focus on the global budget and the role of oceans, as an international community’s joint efforts.

Free Research Field

大気化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

揮発性有機化合物(VOC)は大気中における光化学反応の燃料となる重要な成分であり、海洋は放出源または吸収源として、VOCの全球的収支に大きな役割を果たすと考えられているが、海水中のVOCは観測例がこれまで非常に少なく、それゆえ気候変動や大気質における海洋の重要性や役割の理解大きな不確実性を伴っていた。本研究で、実観測データに基づく新たな知見が得られ、モデルの改良につながる結果が得られたことは、今後の地球システムモデル開発に貢献する成果であり、将来予測の高精度化につながる意義がある。