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In situ evidence for renitrification in the Arctic lower stratosphere during the polar aura validation experiment (PAVE)
Author(s) -
Dibb Jack E.,
Scheuer Eric,
Avery Melody,
Plant Jim,
Sachse Glen
Publication year - 2006
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 - 10.1029/2006gl026243
Subject(s) - stratosphere , polar vortex , mixing ratio , polar , ozone , arctic , atmospheric sciences , nitrous oxide , ozone depletion , nitric acid , atmosphere (unit) , environmental science , the arctic , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , meteorology , environmental chemistry , physics , geology , oceanography , inorganic chemistry , astronomy , organic chemistry
In‐situ measurements of nitric acid (HNO 3 ), ozone (O 3 ), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) were made from the NASA DC‐8 during the Polar Aura Validation Experiment in January/February 2005. In the lower stratosphere (9–12.5 km, potential temperature 300–350 K) characteristic compact relationships were observed between all three gases. The ratio HNO 3 /O 3 averaged 3.5 (±0.7) ppt/ppb. Samples with enhanced HNO 3 /O 3 (>4.0) were most abundant under the edge of the Arctic Polar vortex in airmasses with enhanced mixing ratios of both gases (>400 ppb O 3 and >2000 ppt HNO 3 ) and reduced mixing ratios of N 2 O (<305 ppb), indicating air from higher levels in the stratosphere. Relationships to N 2 O in the anomalous samples under the vortex edge indicate that increases in HNO 3 /O 3 reflect renitrification at DC‐8 flight levels, with no indication of significant O 3 loss. Renitrified air was only observed at potential temperatures above 340 K, and was most abundant on the PAVE flights on 27 and 29 January.