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NO 2 /NO partitioning as a test of stratospheric ClO concentrations over Antarctica
Author(s) -
Webster Christopher R.
Publication year - 1987
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/gl014i007p00704
Subject(s) - stratosphere , chlorine , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , chemistry , environmental chemistry , mineralogy , geology , organic chemistry
Physical conditions in the 10–20 km region of the Antarctic stratosphere make the [NO 2 ]/[NO] ratio particularly sensitive to high chlorine levels in the form of ClO. According to simple known photochemical relationships between NO 2 , NO, ClO, and O 3 , high ClO levels of 1 ppbv over Antarctica must be accompanied by large values of the [NO 2 ]/[NO] ratio. At high ClO abundances, the [NO 2 ]/[NO] ratio is approximately proportional to the ClO concentration. It is proposed that in‐situ measurements of the [NO 2 ]/[NO] ratio could be used to test the high chlorine hypothesis.