Simultaneous, in situ measurements of OH and HO sub 2 in the stratosphere

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i011p01905· OSTI ID:5674987

Stimpfle, R M; Wennberg, P O; Lapson, L B; Anderson, J G ^[1]

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1. Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (USA)

Stratospheric OH and HO{sub 2} radical densities have been measured between 36 and 23 using a balloon-born, in situ instrument launched from Palestine, TX on August 25, 1989. OH is detected using the laser-induced fluorescence technique (LIF) employing a Cu-vapor-laser pumped dye laser coupled with an enclosed-flow detection chamber. HO{sub 2} is detected nearly simultaneously by adding NO to the sample flow to convert ambient HO{sub 2} to OH. Observed OH and HO{sub 2} densities ranged from 8.0 {plus minus} 2.8 {times} 10{sup 6} and 1.4 {plus minus} 0.5 {times} 10{sup 7} molec cm{sup {minus}3}, respectively, at 36 km, to 1.4 {plus minus} 0.5 {times} 10{sup 6} and 3.0 {plus minus} 1.0 {times} 10{sup 6} at 23 km, where the uncertainty is {plus minus} 1{sigma}. The HO{sub 2} density exhibits a maximum in the 34-30 km region of 1.7 {plus minus} 0.6 {times} 10{sup 7}. The data were obtained over a solar zenith angle variation of 51{degree} at 36 km to 61{degree} at 23 km. O{sub 3} and H{sub 2}O densities also were measured simultaneously with separate instruments.

• OSTI ID: 5674987
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA), Vol. 17:11; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
HYDROPEROXY RADICALS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
HYDROXYL RADICALS
STRATOSPHERE
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ADDITIVES
BALLOONS
FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY
LASERS
NITRIC OXIDE
OZONE
TEXAS
WATER VAPOR
AIRSHIPS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUIDS
GASES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADICALS
SPECTROSCOPY
USA
VAPORS
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)