Spanning over 70% of Earth’s surface, the vast majority of the atmospheric boundary layer is a marine environment. The atmospheric chemistry in these relatively pristine regions are highly sensitive to perturbations. Production rates of oxidants (which dictate greenhouse gas lifetimes) and particulate matter (which influence radiative balance) are both strongly influenced by local sources and sinks. Despite this sensitivity, marine controls over reactive trace gases are poorly constrained, with some global source estimates spanning several orders of magnitude.

This talk presents recent advances in our mechanistic understanding of the controls over oxidants and particulate matter in the marine atmosphere, including biogenic production of gaseous precursors of climate-forcing agents, depositional controls over coastal air quality, and the development of novel techniques to provide direct constraints on air-sea exchange rates.