Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2013, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (2): 94-101.doi: 10.11978/j.issn.1009-5470.2013.02.011cstr: 32234.14.j.issn.1009-5470.2013.02.011

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Dissolved methane concentration and sea-to-air transfer flux of dissolved methane in the upper seawater of the central and northern South China Sea

MA Li-jie1, CUI Ying-chun2   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Environment, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; 2. Key Laboratory of Marine Sedimentology, Environmental Geology of State Oceanic Administration, First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration People’s Republic of China, Qingdao 266061, China
  • Received:2011-11-02 Revised:2013-06-10 Online:2013-06-10 Published:2013-06-10

Abstract:

Dissolved methane concentration, saturation and the sea-to-air transfer flux of dissolved methane in the upper seawater of the central and northern South China Sea (SCS) were analyzed using data from a comprehensive multidisciplinary voyage to this sea from April to May 2010. Dissolved methane from seawater was determined by gas chromatography (GC) through vacuum pumping. The methane concentrations of the surface seawater in the central and northern SCS varied from 1.15 to 5.6 nmol·L-1, with an average value of 2.2 nmol·L-1. The methane saturation varied from 59.7% to 298.8%, with oversaturated methane found at 59% of the sites. The sea-to-air transfer flux of methane varied from -17.7 to 61.3 µmol·m-2·d-1 (calculated by the LM-86 equation) and from -27.9 to 119.6 µmol·m-2·d-1 (calculated by the W-92 equation). The SCS is one of the sources of atmospheric methane with an estimated value of annual methane radiant quantity from 2.7×10-2 to 4.0×10-2 Tg·a-1.

Key words: dissolved methane concentration, sea-to-air flux, central and northern South China Sea

CLC Number: 

  • P734