Impact of Halogen Oxides on Dimethyl Sulfide Oxidation in the Marine Atmosphere

Abstract

Laboratory kinetic measurements have shown that the reactions of DMS with halogen oxide radicals, specially IO, and probably to a much lesser extent CIO and BrO, are potentially important in the DMS oxidation in the marine atmosphere. The reaction of DMS with IO could explain the lower values of the DMS lifetime obtained from different field measurements. These values range from fractions of a hour to approximately 40 hours. The present paper successively reports on these field measurements, the laboratory kinetic data obtained for the reaction of DMS with IO, CIO and BrO, and the possible impact of these reactions in marine air chemistry. The discussion of this impact shows the need for further field and laboratory data to better estimate the role of these reactions in marine air chemistry.