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The vertical distribution of HCl in the stratosphere
Author(s) -
Raper O. F.,
Farmer C. B.,
Toth R. A.,
Robbins B. D.
Publication year - 1977
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/gl004i011p00531
Subject(s) - stratosphere , altitude (triangle) , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , troposphere , meteorology , geology , physics , mathematics , geometry
The vertical distribution of HCℓ in the stratosphere has been measured from infrared solar absorption spectra recorded with a balloon‐borne interferometer. The flights were made in September, 1975, and May, 1976 at float altitudes of 40 km and 37 km, respectively, near Palestine, Texas. Concentration profiles derived from the data show an increase from 0.6 ppbv at 20 km to 1.7 ± .5 ppbv in the region of 37 km. Above 37 km, the data permit only the total abundance to be determined; this value is found to be equivalent to 1.6 ± .6 ppbv if the gas were uniformly mixed. The results from the two flights are closely similar, and no significant seasonal variation in the HCℓ concentrations can be discerned. The balloon data are consistent with the profile in the 14‐21 km altitude region of the stratosphere reported earlier from U‐2 observations.