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ATMOS/ATLAS‐3 measurements of stratospheric chlorine and reactive nitrogen partitioning inside and outside the November 1994 Antarctic Vortex
Author(s) -
Rinsland C. P.,
Gunson M. R.,
Salawitch R. J.,
Michelsen H. A.,
Zander R.,
Newchurch M. J.,
Abbas M. M.,
Abrams M. C.,
Manney G. L.,
Chang A. Y.,
Irion F. W.,
Goldman A.,
Mahieu E.
Publication year - 1996
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 - 10.1029/96gl01474
Subject(s) - stratosphere , polar vortex , vortex , mixing ratio , atmospheric sciences , nitrogen , atmospheric chemistry , nitrogen dioxide , reactive nitrogen , environmental science , ozone , chemistry , meteorology , physics , organic chemistry
Partitioning between HCl and ClONO 2 and among the main components of the reactive nitrogen family (NO, NO 2 , HNO 3 , ClONO 2 , N 2 O 5 , and HO 2 NO 2 ) has been studied inside and outside the Antarctic stratospheric vortex based on ATMOS profiles measured at sunrise during the 3–12 November 1994 ATLAS‐3 Shuttle mission. Elevated mixing ratios of HCl in the lower stratosphere with a peak of ∼2.9 ppbv (10 −9 parts per volume) were measured inside the vortex near 500 K potential temperature (∼19 km). Maximum ClONO 2 mixing ratios of ∼1.2, ∼1.4, and ∼0.9 ppbv near 700 K (∼25 km) were measured inside, at the edge, and outside the vortex, respectively. Model calculations reproduce the higher levels of HCl and NO x (NO + NO 2 ) inside the lower stratospheric vortex both driven by photochemical processes initiated by low 0 3 . The high HCl at low O 3 results from chemical production of HCl via the reaction of enhanced Cl with CH 4 , Limited production of ClONO 2 , and the descent of inorganic chlorine from higher altitudes.