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Haloe Antarctic observations in the spring of 1991
Author(s) -
Russell James M.,
Tuck Adrian F.,
Gordley Larry L.,
Park Jae H.,
Drayson S. Roland,
Harries John E.,
Cicerone Ralph J.,
Crutzen Paul J.
Publication year - 1993
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 - 10.1029/93gl00497
Subject(s) - vortex , altitude (triangle) , atmospheric sciences , spring (device) , ozone , water vapor , mixing ratio , longitude , latitude , polar vortex , environmental science , geology , climatology , physics , meteorology , troposphere , geodesy , thermodynamics , geometry , mathematics
HALOE observations of O 3 , CH 4 , HF, H 2 O, NO, NO 2 , and HCℓ collected during the October 1991 Antarctic spring period are reported. The data show a constant CH 4 mixing ratio of about 0.25 ppmv for the altitude range from 65 km down to about 25 km at the position of minimum wind speed in the vortex: i.e., the vortex center, and depressions in pressure versus longitude contours of NO, NO 2 , HF, and HCℓ in this same region. Water vapor, HF, and HCℓ enhancement are also observed in the vortex center region above ∼25 km. Between 10 and 20 km, the expected mixing ratio signatures exist within the vortex, i.e., low ozone and dehydration. The water vapor increased by 50%, and the ozone level doubled inside the vortex between October 11 and 24 in the 15 to 20 km layer. These changes imply a time constant for recovery from ozone hole conditions or 19 and 30 days for O 3 and H 2 O, respectively. The data further show the presence of air inside the vortex between 3 and 30 mb which has mixing ratios characteristic of mid latitudes.