Composition of polar stratospheric clouds from infrared spectroscopy
Conference
·
OSTI ID:214627
- Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (United States)
Heterogeneous reactions on polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) have recently been implicated in Arctic and Antarctic ozone destruction. Although the chemistry is well documented, the composition of the clouds remains uncertain. The most common PSCs (type I) are thought to be composed of HNO{sub 3}/H{sub 2}O mixtures. Although the exact process is not clear, type I PSCs are believed to nucleate on preexisting stratospheric sulfate aerosols (SSAs) composed of sulfuric acid and water. We are using infrared spectroscopy to study the composition and formation mechanism of type I PSCs. In the laboratory, we have used FTIR spectroscopy to probe the composition and phase of H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}/HNO{sub 3}/H{sub 2}O aerosols under winter polar stratospheric conditions. We have also used recently measured infrared optical constants for HNO{sub 3}/H{sub 2}O mixtures to analyze solar infrared extinction measurements of type I PSCs obtained in September, 1987 over Antarctica. The results of these studies will be discussed in the context of current theories for polar stratospheric cloud formation.
- OSTI ID:
- 214627
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950801--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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