SAGA II/III
type: Concept
in scheme: projects
definition: The Soviet/American Gas and Aerosol (SAGA) Expeditions II and III were to measure radiatively important trace species in the marine environment. NOAA/CMDL participated in both cruises in 1987 and 1990. The overall goal of SAGA II was to evaluate the sources, distributions, and fates of climatically significant trace species in the remote, marine environment. The studies were to focus on obtaining latitudinal distributions of key gaseous and aerosol species from 50 deg N to 40 deg S, defining the downwind plume from continental Asia over the West Pacific and East Indian Oceans, and evaluating the air-sea exchange of biogenic and anthropogenic trace gases. NOAH and the Carbon Cycle Group were responsible for the organization of NOAA/CMDL's effort and the measurement of a suite of rediatively important trace species (RITS) in both the water and the atmosphere. Five trace gases in the surface water and atmosphere of the West Pacific and East Indian Oceans were measured by automated gas chromatography from May through July 1987. The data included more than 1000 measurements each of N2O, F11, and F12 in the surface water and in the atmosphere, and about 2000 measurements each of CH4 and CO2 in the surface water and atmospheric boundary layer of the West Pacific. In addition, over 600 measurements of dissolved N2O were obtained from hydrocasts made along the entire 45000 km cruise track. The ship Akademik Korolev, used in the SAGA II expedition, departed Hilo, HI on 1 May 1987, to proceed towards the Kuril trench, headed south along 160 deg E and 170 deg E meridians and terminated its first leg in Wellington, New Zealand on 9 June 1987. Leg 2 ran south of Australia then north along 90 deg E to Singapore between 12 June and 6 July. Leg 3 began on 9 July in Singapore and was essentially a transect along 5 deg N turning up toward Hilo, HI at 180 deg E where it arrived on 28 July 1987. The overall goal of SAGA III was similar to the one of SAGA II. In addition, main objectives…

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type: Concept