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Oxidation of volcanic SO 2 : A sink for stratospheric OH and H 2 O
Author(s) -
Bekki S.
Publication year - 1995
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 - 10.1029/95gl00534
Subject(s) - volcano , stratosphere , volcanic gases , sink (geography) , dehydration , vulcanian eruption , atmospheric sciences , geology , earth science , mineralogy , chemistry , geochemistry , biochemistry , cartography , geography
The oxidation of volcanic SO 2 to sulphate in the stratosphere is investigated for an anomalously large volcanic sulphur loading (∼200 Mt) similar to that generated by the Tambora eruption in 1815. Model calculations suggest that stratospheric OH levels can be severely reduced by the gas‐phase oxidation of SO 2 . One implication of this is that dense volcanic SO 2 clouds may last substantially longer than previously thought. SO 2 oxidation is also found to lead to significant stratospheric dehydration because approximatively three molecules of H 2 O are consumed for each molecule of SO 2 converted to sulphate. Therefore it is possible to view major volcanic eruptions as a potential sink for stratospheric H 2 O.