Measurement of the condensation nuclei profile to 31 km in the Arctic in January 1989 and comparisons with Antarctic measurements

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i004p00357· OSTI ID:5470732

Hofmann, D J ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Wyoming (USA)

The first measurement of the condensation nuclei (CN) profile in the Arctic during winter was made to 31 km on 30 January 1989 from Kiruna Sweden (68{degree}N). Enhanced levels of CN were observed in the colder regions above 18 km suggesting homogeneous or ion nucleation of CN as observed previously in Antarctica. A CN layer reaching a concentration of about 40 cm{sup {minus}3} was observed between 22.5 and 26 km. Comparison with data obtained in Antarctica in 1987 and 1988 indicate that this layer is similar to those observed at the same altitude in Antarctica under similar solar illumination conditions. The latter are believed to be of photochemical origin as suggested by measurements before and after stratospheric sunrise. This CN layer may thus serve as a measure of the amount of time an air parcel has spent in sunlight, an important parameter during the early stages of spring ozone depletion.

• OSTI ID: 5470732
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Vol. 17:4; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
STRATOSPHERE
NUCLEATION
ALTITUDE
ANTARCTICA
ARCTIC REGIONS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CLOUDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA
ICE
OZONE
PARTICULATES
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
TROPOSPHERE
VAPOR CONDENSATION
VARIATIONS
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EVALUATION
INFORMATION
PARTICLES
POLAR REGIONS
540110*