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Condensation of HNO 3 and HCl in the winter polar stratospheres
Author(s) -
Toon Owen B.,
Hamill Patrick,
Turco Richard P.,
Pinto Joseph
Publication year - 1986
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/gl013i012p01284
Subject(s) - stratosphere , nitric acid , polar , hydrochloric acid , ozone depletion , condensation , ozone , halogen , cloud condensation nuclei , atmospheric sciences , chemistry , photochemistry , materials science , inorganic chemistry , aerosol , meteorology , geology , organic chemistry , physics , astronomy , alkyl
Nitric acid and hydrochloric acid vapors may condense in the winter polar stratospheres. Nitric acid clouds, unlike water ice clouds, would form at the temperatures at which polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) are observed and would have optical depths of the magnitude observed suggesting that HNO 3 is a dominant component of PSCs. ClO, N 2 O 5 and ClNO 3 may react on cloud particle surfaces yielding additional HNO 3 , HCl, and HOCL. In the vicinity of PSCs these reactions could deplete the stratosphere of photochemically active NO x species. The sedimentation of PSCs may remove these materials from the stratosphere. The loss of vapor phase NO x might allow halogen‐based chemistry to create the ozone hole.