Interaction of HCl vapor with water-ice: Implications for the stratosphere
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States); and others
The nature of the interaction of HCl vapor with ice has been investigated, using thermal analysis and FTIR spectroscopy to characterize the ice substrate, and mass spectrometry to measure the concentration of HCl and H{sub 2}O vapors in the gas phase. The results indicate that a liquid layer is formed rapidly at the ice surface for ice exposed to HCl vapor at partial pressures above those characteristic of the ice-liquid (aqueous HCl solution) equilibrium system. This liquid layer also forms below the eutectic temperature (186 K); that is, it forms even at temperatures at which the liquid is metastable with respect to the formation of HCl trihydrate. For smaller HCl partial pressures such as those prevailing in the stratosphere, the HCl is taken up by the ice surface in amounts corresponding to a large fraction of a monolayer. The chemical reactivity of this surface HCl is very large: Chlorine activation by type II polar stratospheric clouds (consisting of ice particles) should occur efficiently by reaction of the HCl with ClONO{sub 2}. 31 refs., 9 figs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 110936
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: D14 Vol. 97; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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