In situ measurements of BrO in the Arctic stratosphere

Journal Article · Wed Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i004p00513· OSTI ID:5329408

Toohey, D W; Anderson, J G ^[1]; Brune, W H ^[2]; Chan, K R ^[3]

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1. Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (USA)
2. Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA)
3. NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA (USA)

Mixing ratios of BrO have been measured in the Arctic lower stratosphere with an instrument mounted on the NASA ER-2 aircraft. Observations from fourteen flights above the Arctic Circle in January and February of 1989 defined mixing ratios within the vortex of 4{plus minus}2 parts per trillion by volume (pptv) at a potential temperature of 400 K, rising to 8{plus minus}2 pptv at 470 K. These values are twice as large as values found at equivalent potential temperatures at lower latitudes, and are comparable to the mixing ratios found inside the Antarctic polar vortex. Within the statistical uncertainty of the measurements, no BrO was observed in darkness at any time either inside or outside of the vortex, indicating that active bromine was sequestered in long-lived reservoirs, probably BrONO{sub 2} and BrCl. These measurements, in conjunction with measurements of ClO, demonstrate that the interaction of bromine and chlorine could represent a major sink for ozone in the presence of sunlight.

• OSTI ID: 5329408
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 17:4; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIRCRAFT
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
ANTARCTICA
ARCTIC REGIONS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
BROMINE CHLORIDES
BROMINE COMPOUNDS
BROMINE OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CHLORINE OXIDES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
LAYERS
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
MIXING
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
OZONE LAYER
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
POLAR REGIONS
RADIATIONS
SOLAR RADIATION
STELLAR RADIATION
STRATOSPHERE
VORTICES