A large terrestrial source of methyl iodide

Abstract

We have identified terrestrial sources of methyl iodide (CH 3 I) and assessed their importance in its atmospheric budget using a synthesis of field observations. Measurements include those from NASA DC‐8 research flights over the United States and the North Atlantic, the AIRMAP long‐term ground‐observing network in New England, and a field campaign at Duke Forest, North Carolina. We found an average CH 3 I flux of ∼2,700 ng m −2 d −1 to the atmosphere from midlatitude vegetation and soils, a value similar in magnitude to previous estimates of the oceanic source strength. The large‐scale aircraft measurements of vertical profiles over the continental U.S. showed CH 3 I‐mixing ratios comparable to and greater than those observed over the North Atlantic. Overall, midlatitude terrestrial biomes appear to contribute 33 Gg yr −1 to the CH 3 I global budget.