Measurements of nitric oxide and total reactive nitrogen in the Antarctic stratosphere: Observations and chemical implications

Journal Article · Thu Nov 30 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JD094iD14p16665· OSTI ID:6995846

Fahey, D W; Kelly, K K ^[1]; Murphy, D M; Proffitt, M H; Eubank, C S ^[2]; Ko, M K.W. ^[3]; Ferry, G V; Lowenstein, M; Chan, K R ^[4]

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1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO (United States)
2. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO (United States) Univ. of Colorado, Boulder (United States)
3. Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc., Cambridge, MA (United States)
4. NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (United States)

Measurements of NO and the sum of reactive nitrogen species, NO{sub y}, were made as part of the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment (AAOE) on flights of the NASA ER-2 aircraft over the Antarctic continent. Reactive nitrogen species include NO,NO{sub 2}, NO{sub 3}, N{sub 2}O{sub 5}, HNO{sub 3}, and ClONO{sub 2}. The technique utilized the conversion of NO{sub y} components to NO on a gold catalyst and the subsequent detection of NO by the chemiluminescent reaction of NO with O{sub 3}. NO was measured on two of the flights by removing the catalyst from the sample line. The boundary of a chemically perturbed region (CPR) above the continent occurred on average near 66{degree}S as indicated by a sharp increase in the level of ClO. Outside or equatorward of the CPR, NO{sub y} mixing ratios ranged between 6 and 12 parts per billion by volume (ppbv), with values increasing with latitude. At the edge of the CPR, large latitude gradients of NO{sub y}and NO were found with values decreasing poleward. Total NO{sub y} levels dropped to 4 ppbv or less within 5{degree} poleward of the boundary. NO values were 0.1-0.2 ppbv outside and below the detection limit of 0.03 ppbv inside the CPR. The levels of NO and NO{sub y} observed preclude a chemical loss of ozone due to reaction with NO.

• OSTI ID: 6995846
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Vol. 94:D14; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
STRATOSPHERE
NITRIC OXIDE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
NITROGEN OXIDES
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
AIRCRAFT
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
CHEMILUMINESCENCE
CHLORINE NITRATES
MIXING
MONITORING
NITRIC ACID
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROUS OXIDE
OZONE
OZONE LAYER
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
LAYERS
LUMINESCENCE
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLAR REGIONS
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
290301 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety- Regional & Global Environmental Aspects- (1992-)
010900 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects