A Testbed for Air-Sea CO2 Exchange at the MVCO Air-Sea Interaction Tower (ASIT)

Project Summary:

Air–sea carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes play a critical role in regulating Earth’s climate, but significant uncertainties remain due to the difficulty of making direct, sustained measurements. This project will use continuous direct covariance measurements of air–sea CO₂ exchange at the Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory (MVCO) Air–Sea Interaction Tower (ASIT), alongside extensive physical and biogeochemical observations over approximately one year. The goal is to improve understanding of the processes controlling air–sea gas exchange, particularly the role of sea state and wave breaking. The project will also advance marine carbon cycling research, support the development and validation of carbon cycle sensors, and establish MVCO/ASIT as a premier site for long-term carbon research.

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