The Role of Oceans in the Global Cycles of Climatically‐Active Trace‐Gases

Abstract

The contributions to global warming and atmospheric chemistry made by several atmospheric trace gases with significant marine sources and/or sinks are summarized. Of these, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, dimethyl sulphide, and carbonyl sulphide are discussed in more detail. For CO 2 , the global partitioning of anthropogenic emissions is reviewed briefly, and the physical and biological mechanisms by which CO 2 is processed and transported into the ocean interior are discussed. Uncertainties in the global source estimates of methane and nitrous oxide are reviewed briefly. For these gases, and for dimethyl sulphide and carbonyl sulphide, the principal biological and/or biologically related processes driving their marine cycling and the major sites of their production and/or consumption in marine waters are reviewed.