SAM 2 measurements of the polar stratospheric aerosol. Volume 9: October 1982-April 1983

Technical Report · Fri Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5766272

Mcmaster, L R; Powell, K A

The Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement (SAM) II sensor aboard Nimbus 7 is providing 1.0 micron extinction measurements of Antarctic and Arctic stratospheric aerosols with a vertical resolution of 1 km. Representative examples and weekly averages including corresponding temperature profiles provided by NOAA for the time and place of each SAM II measurement are presented. Contours of aerosol extinction as a function of altitude and longitude or time are plotted, and aerosol optical depths are calculated for each week. Typical values of aerosol extinction and stratospheric optical depth in the Arctic are unusually large due to the presence of material from the El Chichon volcano eruption in the Spring of 1982. For example, the optical depth peaked at 0.068, more than 50 times background values. Typical values of aerosol extinction and stratospheric optical depth in the Antarctic varied considerably during this period due to the transport and arrival of the material from the El Chichon eruption. For example, the stratospheric optical depth varied from 0.002 in October 1982, to 0.021 in January 1983. Polar stratospheric clouds were observed during the Arctic winter, as expected. A representative sample is provided of the ninth 6-month period of data to be used in atmospheric and climatic studies.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, VA (USA). Langley Research Center
• OSTI ID: 5766272
• Report Number(s): N-91-18505; NASA-RP--1244; L--16802-VOL-9; NAS--1.61:1244
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ABSORPTIVITY
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
ARCTIC REGIONS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLAR REGIONS
POLLUTION
SOLS
STRATOSPHERE
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
VOLCANOES