Air-sea CO2 fluxes measured by eddy covariance in a coastal station in Baja California, México

Abstract

The influence of wave-associated parameters controlling turbulent CO2 fluxes through the air-sea water interface is evaluated in a coastal region. The study area, located within the Todos Santos Bay, Baja California, México, was found to be a weak sink of CO2 with a mean flux of -1.32 μmol m-2s-1. The low correlation found between flux and wind speed (r = 0.09), suggests that the influence of other forcing mechanisms, besides wind, is important for gas transfer modulation through the sea surface, at least for the conditions found in this study. In addition, the results suggest that for short periods where an intensification of the wave conditions occurs, a CO2 flux response increases the transport of gas to the ocean.