Instantaneous global nitrous oxide photochemical rates

Journal Article · Mon Aug 20 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JC084iC08p05077· OSTI ID:5852692

Johnston, H S; Serang, O; Podolske, J

In recent years, vertical profiles of nitrous oxide have been measured by balloon up to midstratosphere at several latitudes between 63 /sup 0/N and 73 /sup 0/S, including one profile in the tropical zone at 9 /sup 0/N. Two rocket flights measured nitrous oxide mixing ratios at 44 and 49 km. From these experimental data plus a large amount of interpolation and extrapolation, we have estimated a global distribution of nitrous oxide up to the altitude of 50 km. With standard global distributions of oxygen and ozone we carried out instantaneous, three-dimensional, global photochemical calculations, using recently measured temperature-dependent cross sections for nitrous oxide. The altitude of maximum photolysis rate of N/sub 2/O is about 30 km at all latitudes, and the rate of photolysis is a maximum in tropical latitudes. The altitude of maximum rate of formation of nitric oxide is latitude dependent, about 26 km at the equator, about 23 km over temperate zones, and 20 km at the summer pole. The global rate of N/sub 2/O destruction is 6.2 x 10/sup 27/ molecules s/sup -1/, and the global rate of formation of NO from N/sub 2/O is 1.4 x 10/sup 27/ molecules s/sup -1/. The global N/sub 2/O inventory divided by the stratospheric loss rate gives a residence time of about 175 years with respect to this loss process. From the global average N/sub 2/O profile a vertical eddy diffusion profile was derived, and this profile agrees very closely with that of Stewart and Hoffert (1975).

• Research Organization: Department of Chemistry and Materials and Molecular Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720
• OSTI ID: 5852692
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 84:C8; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DIFFUSION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
KINETICS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NITROUS OXIDE
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
QUANTITY RATIO
REACTION KINETICS
STRATOSPHERE
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TROPOSPHERE