Elevated biogenic sulphur dioxide concentrations over the North Atlantic

Elevated biogenic SO2 from the oxidation of dimethylsulphide (DMS) in the marine atmosphere was measured over the North Atlantic Ocean in spring and summer 2003. Stable isotope apportionment was used to distinguish between anthropogenic and biogenic SO2 in the marine atmosphere south of Greenland. Atmospheric DMS measurements were within range of previous studies. Biogenic SO2 concentrations were as high as 82 nmol m−3 (spring geometric mean: 4 nmol m−3, σ = 17; summer geometric mean 7 nmol m−3, σ = 19) and are the highest reported values for marine biogenic SO2 in the literature. Elevated biogenic SO2 was found in air masses influenced by anthropogenic pollutants during the summer. This indicates that anthropogenic pollutants may affect the fate of oceanic emissions of sulphur compounds in the atmosphere favoring the formation of cloud condensation nuclei.