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Implications of stratospheric aerosol measurements for models of aerosol formation and evolution
Author(s) -
Toon Owen B.,
Turco R. P.,
Whitten R.,
Hamill P.
Publication year - 1981
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/gl008i001p00023
Subject(s) - aerosol , stratosphere , sulfate aerosol , atmospheric sciences , tropopause , sulfuric acid , sulfate , environmental science , atmospheric chemistry , sulfur , sulfur dioxide , ammonia , climatology , meteorology , chemistry , geology , ozone , physics , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry
Calculations of the distribution of stratospheric sulfur gases and of stratospheric aerosols are compared with measurements obtained in Alaska during July 1979. Generally, the measurements are reasonably consistent with the model results. COS is the major sulfur‐bearing gas in the stratosphere while CS 2 plays a lesser role in the formation of sulfate aerosols. Ammonia, which earlier measurements suggested was a major aerosol constituent, is found to be a contaminant, so models without ammonia chemistry may be justified. The model and the measurements suggest that stratospheric sulfuric acid aerosols nucleate just above the tropopause, but they are older and have grown to larger sizes at higher altitudes.