Air-sea gas transfer for two gases of different solubility (CO₂ and O₂)

At the land-based marine measuring site Östergarnsholm in the Baltic Sea, the eddy covariance technique was used to measure air-sea fluxes of carbon dioxide and oxygen. High- frequency measurements of oxygen were taken with a Microx TX3 optode using the luminescence lifetime technique. The system gives reasonable oxygen fluxes after the limited frequency response of the sensor was corrected for. For fluxes of carbon dioxide the LICOR-7500 instrument was used. Using flux data to estimate transfer velocities indicates higher transfer velocity for oxygen compared to carbon dioxide for winds above 5 m/s. There are too few data for any extensive conclusions, but a least-square fit of the data gives a cubic wind speed dependence of oxygen corresponding to k₆₆₀ = 0.074U³₁₀. The more effective transfer for oxygen compared to carbon dioxide above 5 m/s is most likely due to enhanced efficiency of oxygen exchange across the surface. Oxygen has lower solubility compared with carbon dioxide and might be more influenced by near surface processes such as microscale wave breaking or sea spray.