Latitudinal Distribution of Gaseous Elemental Mercury in Tropical Western Pacific: The Role of the Doldrums and the ITCZ

Abstract

The role of the tropical western Pacific in the latitudinal distribution of atmospheric mercury is still unclear. In this study, we conducted continuous measurements of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) in the marine boundary layer (MBL) along a large latitudinal transect (∼60° S to ∼30° N) of the western Pacific, accompanied by measurements of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) in the surface seawater. We found that the GEM latitudinal gradient is the most significant in the tropical western Pacific, which to some extent might be attributed to the impact of the doldrums and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) in this area. For the doldrums, calm weather may delay the transport of GEM, facilitating its accumulation in the tropical western Pacific. Furthermore, the regional transport, and low O 3 and sea-salt aerosol levels in this area which would not favor the oxidation of GEM in the MBL, would intensify the accumulation of GEM in the tropical western Pacific. For the ITCZ, the vast wet deposition of Hg would drive elevated DGM in the surface seawater, which can increase the evasion flux and may further influence the spatial distribution of GEM. This study provides insight into the role of the tropical western Pacific in the regional atmospheric mercury cycle.