Observed particle evolution in the polar stratospheric cloud of January 24, 1989

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i004p00413· OSTI ID:5332100

Dye, J E; Gandrud, B W; Baumgardner, D ^[1]; Chan, K R; Ferry, G V; Loewenstein, M ^[2]; Kelly, K K ^[3]; Wilson, J C ^[4]

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1. NCAR, Boulder, CO (USA)
2. NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (USA)
3. NOAA Aeronomy Laboratory, Boulder, CO (USA)
4. Univ. of Denver, CO (USA)

Particle size distributions measured from the NASA ER-2 with the new Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe (FSSP) 300 in a type I polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) on January 24, 1989 show a volume model near 0.8 {mu}m diameter. The large increase in particle concentration and volume after cloud entry did not occur until the apparent saturation ratio of nitric acid with respect to nitric acid trihydrate reached 10, but at ratios near 1 subtle changes in the size distribution suggest some type I particles were present. Particle concentrations in cloud of 15 to 17 cm{sup {minus}3} were greater than the CN concentrations of 5 to 7 cm{sup {minus}3} just outside of cloud, suggesting nucleation on more than just sulfate particles. Some particles > 4 {mu}m diameter were observed in a region which was saturated with respect to ice.

• OSTI ID: 5332100
• 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

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110*
ARCTIC REGIONS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CHEMISTRY
CLOUDS
DISTRIBUTION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ICE
INORGANIC ACIDS
LAYERS
LOSSES
NITRIC ACID
NUCLEATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
OZONE LAYER
PARTICLE SIZE
POLAR REGIONS
QUANTITY RATIO
SATURATION
SIZE
STRATOSPHERE
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
VARIATIONS
VOLUME