Size distributions and source function of sea spray aerosol over the South China Sea

The number concentrations in the radius range of 0.06–5 μm of aerosol particles and meteorological parameters were measured on board during a cruise in the South China Sea from August 25 to October 12, 2012. Effective fluxes in the reference height of 10 m were estimated by steady state dry deposition method based on the observed data, and the influences of different air masses on flux were discussed in this paper. The number size distribution was characterized by a bimodal mode, with the average total number concentration of (1.50 ± 0.76)×103 cm-3. The two mode radii were 0.099 µm and 0.886 µm, both of which were within the scope of accumulation mode. A typical daily average size distribution was compared with that measured in the Bay of Bengal. In the whole radius range, the number concentrations were in agreement with each other; the modes were more distinct in this study than that abtained in the Bay of Bengal. The size distribution of the fluxes was fitted with the sum of log-normal and power-law distribution. The impact of different air masses was mainly on flux magnitude, rather than the shape of spectral distribution. A semiempirical source function that is applicable in the radius range of 0.06 µm<r80<0.3 µm with the wind speed varying from 1.00 m s-1 to 10.00 m s-1 was derived.