Abstract. In this study we present gas-exchange measurements conducted in a large-scale wind-wave tank. Fourteen chemical species spanning a wide range of solubility (dimensionless solubility, α = 0.4 to 5470) and diffusivity (Schmidt number in water, Sc w = 594 to 1194) were examined under various turbulent (u 10 = 0.73 to 13.2 m s −1 ) conditions. Additional experiments were performed under different surfactant modulated (two different concentration levels of Triton X-100) surface states. This paper details the complete methodology, experimental procedure and instrumentation used to derive the total transfer velocity for all examined tracers. The results presented here demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method, and the derived gas-exchange velocities are shown to be comparable to previous investigations. The gas transfer behaviour is exemplified by contrasting two species at the two solubility extremes, namely nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and methanol (CH 3 OH). Interestingly, a strong transfer velocity reduction (up to a factor of 3) was observed for the relatively insoluble N 2 O under a surfactant covered water surface. In contrast, the surfactant effect for CH 3 OH, the high solubility tracer, was significantly weaker.

Abstract. In this study we present gas exchange measurements conducted in a large scale wind-wave tank. Fourteen chemical species spanning a wide range of solubility (dimensionless solubility, α = 0.4 to 5470) and diffusivity (Schmidt number in water, Scw = 594 to 1194) were examined under various turbulent (u10 = 0.8 to 15 m s−1 conditions. Additional experiments were performed under different surfactant modulated (two different concentration levels of Triton X-100) surface states. This paper details the complete methodology, experimental procedure and instrumentation used to derive the total transfer velocity for all examined tracers. The results presented here demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method, and the derived gas exchange velocities are shown to be comparable to previous investigations. The gas transfer behaviour is exemplified by contrasting two species at the two solubility extremes, namely nitrous oxide (N2O) and methanol (CH3OH). Interestingly, a strong transfer velocity reduction (up to a factor of three) was observed for N2O under a surfactant covered water surface. In contrast, the surfactant affected CH3OH, the high solubility tracer only weakly.

A novel 2-D fluorescence imaging technique has been developed to visualize the thickness of the aqueous mass boundary layer at a free water surface. Fluorescence is stimulated by high-power LEDs and is observed from above with a low noise, high resolution and high-speed camera. The invasion of ammonia into water leads to an increase in pH (from a starting value of 4), which is visualized with the fluorescent dye pyranine. The flux of ammonia can be controlled by controlling its air side concentration. A higher flux leads to basic pH values (pH > 7) in a thicker layer at the water surface from which fluorescent light is emitted. This allows the investigation of processes affecting the transport of gases in different depths in the aqueous mass boundary layer. In this paper, the chemical system and optical components of the measurement method are presented and its applicability to a wind-wave tank experiment is demonstrated.

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