Premium
An upper stratospheric layer of enhanced HNO 3 following exceptional solar storms
Author(s) -
Orsolini Y. J.,
Manney G. L.,
Santee M. L.,
Randall C. E.
Publication year - 2005
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 - 10.1029/2004gl021588
Subject(s) - stratosphere , atmospheric sciences , altitude (triangle) , atmospheric sounding , polar vortex , environmental science , sudden stratospheric warming , storm , polar , meteorology , geology , physics , astronomy , geometry , mathematics
An analysis of stratospheric nitric acid (HNO 3 ) observed by the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) reveals a distinct, high‐altitude maximum, that appeared in late November 2003 in the polar upper stratosphere. Confined to the polar vortex, the enhanced HNO 3 layer intensified while descending to the middle stratosphere, and disappeared between mid‐January and mid‐February. The high‐altitude maximum is considerably enhanced compared to the weak, secondary maxima previously reported in the literature. Analysis of MIPAS stratospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and correlations with the geomagnetic Ap index suggest that particle precipitation from the intense solar storms of October–November 2003 was responsible for this extraordinary high‐altitude HNO 3 layer. The detailed morphology and time‐evolution of such a distinct, high‐altitude HNO 3 layer have not been observed before, nor the link to geomagnetic activity through contemporaneous upper stratospheric NO 2 measurements.