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Unexpected high levels of NO observed at South Pole
Author(s) -
Davis D.,
Nowak J. B.,
Chen G.,
Buhr M.,
Arimoto R.,
Hogan A.,
Eisele F.,
Mauldin L.,
Tanner D.,
Shetter R.,
Lefer B.,
McMurry P.
Publication year - 2001
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 - 10.1029/2000gl012584
Subject(s) - snowpack , magnitude (astronomy) , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , mixing ratio , polar , conjunction (astronomy) , oxidizing agent , snow , climatology , geology , meteorology , physics , chemistry , astrophysics , astronomy , organic chemistry
Reported here are the first Austral summer measurements of NO at South Pole (SP). They are unique in that the levels are one to two orders of magnitude higher (i.e., median, 225 pptv) than measured at other polar sites. The available evidence suggests that these elevated levels are the result of photodenitrification of the snowpack, in conjunction with a very thin atmospheric mixing depth. Important chemical consequences included finding the atmospheric oxidizing power at SP to be an order of magnitude higher than expected.