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Measurement of heavy ozone in the stratosphere
Author(s) -
Mauersberger Konrad
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/gl008i008p00935
Subject(s) - stratosphere , ozone , atmospheric sciences , descent (aeronautics) , environmental science , ozone layer , mixing ratio , meteorology , physics
The distribution of heavy ozone (molecular mass 50) has been measured for the first time in the stratosphere with a mass spectrometer system. During a balloon descent after midnight on Sept. 4, 1980, a pronounced enhancement of heavy ozone was found. The maximum in the isotopic ratio, 18 O 16 O 2 / 16 O 3 , occurred at 32 km where the enhancement of heavy ozone was over 40%. The ratio decreased toward higher and lower altitudes, and reached the standard value below 24 km. These measurements confirm an earlier prediction that there exists a preferred production mechanism for heavy ozone in the stratosphere.