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OH, HO 2 , and NO in two biomass burning plumes: Sources of HO x and implications for ozone production
Author(s) -
Folkins Ian,
Wennberg P. O.,
Hanisco T. F.,
Anderson J. G.,
Salawitch R. J.
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 - 10.1029/97gl03047
Subject(s) - ozone , atmospheric sciences , troposphere , photodissociation , environmental science , stratosphere , atmosphere (unit) , biomass burning , plume , atmospheric chemistry , environmental chemistry , meteorology , chemistry , aerosol , physics , photochemistry
The ER‐2 made two descents through upper tropospheric biomass burning plumes during ASHOE/MAESA. HO x (= OH + HO 2 ) concentrations are largely self‐limited outside the plumes, but become progressively more limited by reactions with NO x (= NO + NO 2 ) at the higher NO x concentrations inside the plumes. Sources of HO x in addition to H 2 O and CH 4 oxidation are required to balance the known HO x sinks both in the plumes and in the background upper troposphere. HO x concentrations were consistently underestimated by a model constrained by observed NO x concentrations. The size of the model underestimate is reduced when acetone photolysis is included. Models which do not include the additional HO x sources required to balance the HO x budget are likely to underestimate ozone production rates.