Premium
H 2 SO 4 photolysis: A source of sulfur dioxide in the upper stratosphere
Author(s) -
Rinsland C. P.,
Gunson M. R.,
Ko M. K. W.,
Weisenstein D. W.,
Zander R.,
Abrams M. C.,
Goldman A.,
Sze N. D.,
Yue G. K.
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 - 10.1029/95gl00917
Subject(s) - stratosphere , occultation , mixing ratio , photodissociation , atmospheric chemistry , trace gas , atmospheric sciences , tropopause , altitude (triangle) , ozone , sulfur dioxide , spectral line , environmental science , analytical chemistry (journal) , meteorology , physics , chemistry , astrophysics , environmental chemistry , inorganic chemistry , geometry , mathematics , photochemistry , astronomy
Numerous absorption lines of stratospheric sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) have been identified in solar occultation spectra recorded by the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) Fourier transform spectrometer during the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS)‐1 shuttle mission (March 24‐April 2, 1992). Based on their analysis, a volume mixing ratio profile of SO 2 increasing from (13 ± 4) p.p.t.v. (parts per 10 −12 by volume) at 16 mbar (∼ 28 km) to 455 ± 90 p.p.t.v. at 0.63 mbar (∼ 52 km) has been measured with no significant profile differences between 20°N and 60°S latitude. The increase in the SO 2 mixing ratios with altitude indicates the presence of a source of SO 2 in the upper stratosphere. Profiles retrieved from ATMOS spectra recorded during shuttle flights in April‐May 1985 and April 1993 show similar vertical distributions but lower concentrations. Two‐dimensional model calculations with SO 2 assumed as the end product of H 2 SO 4 photolysis produce SO 2 profiles consistent with the ATMOS measurements to within about a factor of 2.