Modeling wind-driven gas-transfer in a lake

Several predictive equations have been proposed to estimate wind-driven gas-transfer rate in a lake. They have different structure and numerical constants and were mostly obtained from correlations with experimental data. The present paper proposes a turbulence-based model developed to estimate wind-driven gas transfer rate through the air-water interface of a lake. The model compares the laminar boundary layer at the air-water interface with the bottom classic laminar sublayer. Comparison with field data demonstrates that the proposed model can capture field data at low wind speed, whereas for higher values of W10, the model tends to underestimate gas-transfer process. This result should be expected because the model do not consider the contribution of waves to the gas-transfer process. Also, the model exhibits an exponent -⅔ for the Schmidt number Sc (Sc=/Dm) which is consistent with gas-transfer theory and literature experimental data for smooth surfaces.