Air-sea exchange is a major activity within C-CAPS. Research focuses on the exchange of aerosols and various trace gases with the ocean surface. Activities include measurements at Mace Head and on various research vessels. At Mace Head, measurements include eddy-correlation measurements of aerosol number, CO ₂, and ozone while gradient flux measurements include PM1 aerosol chemical composition and ozone. A new met and water chemistry buoy is being deployed at Mace Head by the Marine Institute. This buoy will include the capability of measuring oceanic pCO2, fluorescence (chlorophyll-a), currents, conductivity, SST, and dissolved oxygen. The deployment of the buoy will support a recently funded programme on Impacts of Increased Atmospheric CO2 on Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems

This activity fits well with SOLAS-Ireland activities (National Contact Person – Brian Ward).

People

Dr. Brian Ward School of Physics Phone: (091) 49 3029 ; Email: bward@nuigalway.ie ——— Research focus is the air-sea exchange of heat and greenhouse gases and the processes in the oceanic and atmospheric near surface layer that influence transport across the air-sea interface.  Research methods are largely observational, and include development of novel instrumentation for making unique measurements