Abstract

The overall goal of SAGA III was similar to the one of SAGA II. In addition, main objectives were to evaluate the spatial and temporal variability of trace gases across the interhemispheric tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), to trace the zonal movement of the ITCZ, to determine halocarbon saturation anomalies and to assess their use in calculating air-sea transfer coefficients, to measure the flux of N₂O from equatorial waters, and to compare the results to those made in 1987, an El Niño year.

Methods and list of measured compounds:

 

Gas chromatograph / electron capture detector (surface water):
CFC-12	CCl2F2
CFC-11	CCl3F
CFC-113	CCl3CF3
Methyl chloroform	CH3CCl3
Carbon tetrachloride	CCl4
Nitrous Oxide  (also at depth)	N2O

Cruise Participants:

James H. Butler (leg 1)

Tom Swanson (leg 1)

James W. Elkins (leg 2)

Brad D. Hall (leg 2)

The Platform:

As for SAGA II, the Akademik Korolev was used during this expedition. The cruise began in February 1990 in Hilo, HI, and crossed the equator seven times zig-zagging between 20°N and 15°S before ending in Singapore in April 1990.

Cruise Track:

SAGA III is shown in yellow through the equatorial West Pacific Ocean, out of Hawaii and into Singapore. 

Contacts:

James H. Butler +1 303 497 6898 (tel) 6290 (fax) ... jbutler@cmdl.noaa.gov

James W. Elkins +1 303 497 6224 (tel) 6290 (fax) ... jelkins@cmdl.noaa.gov

Publications

Oceanic Consumption of CH₃CCl₃: Implications for Tropospheric OH, J.H. Butler, J.W. Elkins, T.M. Thompson, and B.D. Hall, J. Geophys. Res., 96, 22,347-22,355 (1991).

Third Soviet-American Gases and Aerosols (SAGA 3) Experiment: Overview and meteorological and oceanographic conditions, J.E. Johnson, V.M. Koropalov, K.E. Pickering, A.M. Thompson, N. Bond, and J.W. Elkins, J. Geophys. Res., 98, 16,893-16,908 (1993).

Data & Graphs

Data is available on our anonymous FTP account ftp.cmdl.noaa.gov, subdir /hats/saga_iii.