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Enhancement of odd nitrogen modifies mesospheric ozone chemistry during polar winter
Author(s) -
Verronen P. T.,
Lehmann R.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2015gl066703
Subject(s) - mesosphere , ozone , polar , atmospheric sciences , atmosphere (unit) , nitrogen , atmospheric chemistry , mesopause , photodissociation , flux (metallurgy) , daytime , precipitation , stratosphere , chemistry , photochemistry , physics , meteorology , organic chemistry , astronomy
Energetic particle precipitation (EPP) enhances odd nitrogen (NO x ) in the polar upper atmosphere. Model studies have reported a solar cycle response in mesospheric ozone (O 3 ) caused by EPP‐related NO x enhancements which are included by applying a vertical NO x flux at around 80 km. However, it is not clear how O 3 can be affected when the main chemical catalyst of odd oxygen (O x = O + O( 1 D) + O 3 ) loss in the mesosphere is odd hydrogen (HO x ). Here we use a 1‐D atmospheric model and show how enhanced NO x affects mesospheric chemistry and changes HO x partitioning, which subsequently leads to increase in O x loss through standard HO x ‐driven catalytic cycles. Another, smaller increase of O x loss results from HO x storage in HNO 3 during night and its release by daytime photodissociation. Our results suggest that EPP, through NO x enhancements, could have a longer‐term effect on mesospheric HO x and O x in polar winter.