New schemes for fast measurements of air-sea gas exchange in the Aeolotron lab

A number of novel experimental techniques to measure the gas transfer rates of volatile tracers in the wind/wave flume Aeolotron were developed. With the aid of the recently remodeled air conditioning system, the temperature, humidity and air flush rate could be controlled precisely in an open (exchange of air) and closed circulation system. The newly developed experimental schemes were optimized to measure gas transfer rates of half a dozen chemical species simultaneously using FTIR and UV spectroscopy together with thermographic measurements and wind wave measurements. These new experimental schemes are fast enough (temporal resolution less than a minute) to perform measurements in non-stationary and transient conditions. Results of the first series of measurements include precise measurements of the Schmidt number exponent at clean water surfaces.