Airborne observations of the composition of the 1992 tropical stratosphere by FTIR solar absorption spectrometry

Journal Article · Fri Nov 19 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/93GL01962· OSTI ID:5108336

Toon, G C; Blavier, J F; Solario, J N; Szeto, J T ^[1]

---

1. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (United States)

Vertical column measurements of the gaseous composition of the tropical stratosphere were made from the NASA DC-8 aircraft early in 1992. As anticipated, the burdens of the stratospheric source gases (e.g., O[sub 3], HF, HCl, ClNO[sub 3], HNO[sub 3]) were reduced from their mid-latitude values due to increased uplift and photolysis. The tracers revealed considerably more uplift near the equator than the sub-tropics. For example, the HF burdens at [+-]20[degrees] latitude (0.50[times]10[sup 15] molec.cm[sup [minus]2]) were nearly double those at 5[degrees]N (0.27[times]10[sup 15] molec.cm[sup [minus]2]). This, together with results obtained from other long-lived gases (e.g., N[sub 2]O, CH[sub 4], CF[sub 2]Cl[sub 2]) indicates that volume mixing ratios found at 22 km altitude at mid-latitudes occurred at 26 km in the sub-tropics and at 30 km in the equatorial zone. This zone of uplift was symmetrical about the equator even though the sun was overhead at 20[degrees]S. 14 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 5108336
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 20:22; ISSN GPRLAJ; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ALKANES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CHLORINE NITRATES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
HYDROFLUORIC ACID
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
METHANE
NITRATES
NITRIC ACID
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
STRATOSPHERE
TROPICAL REGIONS