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Stratospheric abundances of water and methane based on ACE‐FTS measurements
Author(s) -
Nassar Ray,
Bernath Peter F.,
Boone Chris D.,
Manney Gloria L.,
McLeod Sean D.,
Rinsland Curtis P.,
Skelton Randall,
Walker Kaley A.
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 - 10.1029/2005gl022383
Subject(s) - stratosphere , occultation , water vapor , trace gas , atmospheric sciences , mixing ratio , methane , environmental science , atmospheric chemistry , middle latitudes , ozone , chemistry , meteorology , physics , astronomy , organic chemistry
We present solar occultation measurements of H 2 O and CH 4 by the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE‐FTS). The data used here were selected from occultations spanning February to April 2004 from 0 to 79.8°N. The midlatitude volume mixing ratio (VMR) of potential water is determined as [H 2 O] + 2[CH 4 ] and from [H 2 O] versus [CH 4 ] correlations, then used to calculate the VMR of water vapor entering the stratosphere. We obtain 7.14 ± 0.23 ppm for potential water and 3.65 ± 0.29 ppm for water entering the stratosphere in 2004 for direct comparison with Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) data (1985–1994). We find a very small change in potential water and no change in water entering the stratosphere relative to the 1994 ATMOS data, indicating that increases observed by ATMOS and other instruments from that time period have not continued. This halt in stratospheric water vapor increases is consistent with recent water vapor measurements by other instruments.