Effect of lightning on the concentration of odd nitrogen species in the lower stratosphere: An update

Journal Article · Wed Apr 20 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Journal of Geophysical Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/93JD03477· OSTI ID:136235

Kotamarthi, V R; Ko, M K.W.; Weisenstein, D K ^[1]

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1. Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc., Cambridge, MA (United States); and others

Revised model estimates of the effect of lightning on the lower stratospheric NO{sub y} are presented. Several changes in the Atmospheric and Environmental Research Incorporated model were made since the last evaluation of the impact of lightning. Improvements were made in the model circulation and location of tropopause in the tropics, which is now calculated from the National Meteorological Center temperature data. Changes in model circulation reduced the mass flux from the troposphere to the tropical stratosphere. The calculated mass fluxes are found to agree better with some recent estimates. The circulation changes also reduced the advective mass flux from the tropical lower stratosphere to the midlatitudes. The change in circulation and the change in the tropopause height lead to increases in the calculated concentration of N{sub 2}O, O{sub 3} and NO{sub y} in the tropical lower stratosphere. The effect of lightning is to increase the calculated concentration of NO{sub y} around 64 mbar by a factor of 2, compared to a factor of 10 enhancement in the previous calculations. Comparison with the Stratosphere Troposphere Exchange Project 1987 data indicates that the inclusion of a lightning source brings the model results in closer agreement with the observations. 21 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 136235
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: D4 Vol. 99; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

40 CHEMISTRY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
LIGHTNING
NITROGEN OXIDES
OZONE LAYER
STRATOSPHERE