The lifetime of leewave-induced ice particles in the Arctic stratosphere: I. Balloonborne observations
During the European Arctic Stratospheric Ozone Experiment (EASOE) in 1991/1992 there were only a few occasions when polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) were observed. One of these was on 27 January 1992 when PSCs were detected by two balloonborne aerosol instruments released from Esrange near Kiruna, Sweden (68[degrees]N). High concentrations of particles were found at altitudes between 19 and 24 km, in a series of many very thin layers. Particles as large as 5 [mu]m were detected. The surface area concentration in the densest layers exceeded 100 [mu]m[sup 2] cm[sup [minus]3], as estimated from retrieved size distributions. Estimates of the total mass of the particles suggest that ice must have been the main constituent, although the air temperature was 3 K or more above the frost point. The particles were probably formed during leewave cooling over the Norwegian mountains, some hours earlier, and some 300 km upstream of the measurements. A possible explanation for the slow evaporation observed is offered in part II of this paper. 16 refs., 4 figs.
- OSTI ID:
- 6862850
- Journal Information:
- Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Vol. 21:13; ISSN 0094-8276
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
AEROSOLS
ALTITUDE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ICE
ARCTIC REGIONS
CLOUDS
EVAPORATION
STRATOSPHERE
SWEDEN
COLLOIDS
CRYOSPHERE
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISPERSIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EUROPE
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POLAR REGIONS
SCANDINAVIA
SOLS
WESTERN EUROPE
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)