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Airborne measurements of BrO and the sum of HOBr and Br 2 over the Tropical West Pacific from 1 to 15 km during the CONvective TRansport of Active Species in the Tropics (CONTRAST) experiment
Author(s) -
Chen Dexian,
Huey L. Gregory,
Tanner David J.,
Salawitch Ross J.,
Anderson Daniel C.,
Wales Pamela A.,
Pan Laura L.,
Atlas Elliot L.,
Hornbrook Rebecca S.,
Apel Eric C.,
Blake Nicola J.,
Campos Teresa L.,
Donets Valeria,
Flocke Frank M.,
Hall Samuel R.,
Hanisco Thomas F.,
Hills Alan J.,
Honomichl Shawn B.,
Jensen Jørgen B.,
Kaser Lisa,
Montzka Denise D.,
Nicely Julie M.,
Reeves J. Michael,
Riemer Daniel D.,
Schauffler Sue M.,
Ullmann Kirk,
Weinheimer Andrew J.,
Wolfe Glenn M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-8996
pISSN - 2169-897X
DOI - 10.1002/2016jd025561
Subject(s) - troposphere , stratosphere , bromine , atmospheric sciences , tropopause , altitude (triangle) , environmental science , chemistry , climatology , geology , geometry , mathematics , organic chemistry
A chemical ionization mass spectrometer was used to measure BrO and HOBr + Br 2 over the Tropical West Pacific Ocean within the altitude range of 1 to 15 km, during the CONvective TRansport of Active Species in the Tropics (CONTRAST) campaign in 2014. Isolated episodes of elevated BrO (up to 6.6 pptv) and/or HOBr + Br 2 (up to 7.3 pptv) were observed in the tropical free troposphere (TFT) and were associated with biomass burning. However, most of the time we did not observe significant BrO or HOBr + Br 2 in the TFT and the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) above our limits of detection (LOD). The 1 min average LOD for BrO ranged from 0.6 to 1.6 pptv and for HOBr + Br 2 ranged from 1.3 to 3.5 pptv. During one flight, BrO observations from the TTL to the extratropical lowermost stratosphere were used to infer a profile of inorganic bromine (Br y ). Based on this profile, we estimated the product gas injection of bromine species into the stratosphere to be 2 pptv. Analysis of Br y partitioning further indicates that BrO levels are likely very low in the TFT environment and that future studies should target the measurement of HBr or atomic Br.