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Stratospheric SO 3 : Upper limits inferred from ion composition measurements ‐ Implications for H 2 SO 4 and aerosol formation
Author(s) -
Reiner Thomas,
Arnold Frank
Publication year - 1997
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 - 10.1029/97gl01758
Subject(s) - stratosphere , aerosol , atmospheric sciences , ion , gas phase , atmosphere (unit) , phase (matter) , atmosphere of earth , environmental science , analytical chemistry (journal) , physics , meteorology , chemistry , thermodynamics , environmental chemistry , quantum mechanics
Upper limits for the concentration of stratospheric gas phase SO 3 have been inferred from a reanalysis of previous balloon‐borne ion composition measurements made at altitudes between 29 and 41 km. Assuming steady state conditions for the production and loss of gaseous SO 3 lower limits for the first‐order loss rate coefficient of SO 3 could be deduced. These lower limits are compared with calculated loss rate coefficients associated with potential loss processes for SO 3 and implications for the formation of gaseous H 2 SO 4 are discussed. In particular, the present analysis shows that no gas phase H 2 SO 4 can be produced from the gas phase reaction of SO 3 with H 2 O at altitudes above the stratospheric H 2 SO 4 / H 2 O aerosol layer.