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Enhanced O 3 and NO 2 in thunderstorm clouds: Convection or production?
Author(s) -
Winterrath Tanja,
Kurosu Thomas P.,
Richter Andreas,
Burrows John P.
Publication year - 1999
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 - 10.1029/1999gl900243
Subject(s) - thunderstorm , lightning (connector) , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , differential optical absorption spectroscopy , sky , meteorology , radiative transfer , zenith , ozone , convection , absorption (acoustics) , cloud top , remote sensing , geology , physics , optics , astronomy , power (physics) , satellite , quantum mechanics
Ground based zenith sky measurements of O 3 and NO 2 slant optical thickness (SOT) from a field campaign at the Observatoire de Haute Provence in June 1996 are reported. Differential optical absorption spectroscopy in the 450–497 nm region was used to derive SOT for both species under clear sky, cloudy and thunderstorm conditions. SOT enhancements of 62% for O 3 and up to 320% for NO 2 are found in a thunderstorm cloud. Interpretation of the measurements was carried out using a radiative transfer model. To explain the measurements a mean increase of 38 ppbv of the in‐cloud concentration of O 3 has to be assumed. This amount leads to a mean in‐cloud concentration of more than 100 ppbv of O 3 . The corresponding increase in NO 2 is 3 ppbv, resulting in an in‐cloud concentration of 3.2 ppbv. The NO 2 enhancements are in large part explained by lightning processes. In contrast, the enhanced O 3 appears to be induced by intrusion of stratospheric air and possibly ozone production by non‐lightning discharge mechanisms.