A 3D simulation of the early winter distribution of reactive chlorine in the north polar vortex

Journal Article · Fri Jun 18 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/93GL01586· OSTI ID:5899180

Douglass, A; Rood, R ^[1]; Waters, J; Froidevaux, L; Read, W; Elson, L ^[2]; Geller, M; Chi, Y ^[3]; Cerniglia, M; Steenrod, S

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1. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (United States)
2. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (United States)
3. State Univ. of New York, Stony Brook (United States)

This paper presents the results of 3D simulations of the formation of reactive chlorine on polar stratospheric clouds in the southern polar vortex. The purpose behind these simulations is to compare calculations with measurements of the microwave limb sounder (MLS) carried on the upper atmosphere research satellite (UARS), which showed regions of enhanced ClO in early December 1991, in regions south of areas where temperatures would support the formation of polar stratospheric clouds. The presently accepted model is that reactive chlorine is formed by rapid chemical reactions on the surfaces of particles in polar stratospheric clouds, from gases such as HCl and ClONO[sub 2]. It is then converted to ClO by photochemical processes. The simulations look at cyclonic and anticyclonic circulation patterns in the region of polar stratospheric cloud formation, and the impact this circulation has on the transport of reactive chlorine northward or southward from its creation to regions where it is converted to ClO.

• OSTI ID: 5899180
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 20:12; ISSN GPRLAJ; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ARCTIC REGIONS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINE
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CHLORINE NITRATES
CHLORINE OXIDES
CLOUDS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CRYOSPHERE
ELEMENTS
FLUID FLOW
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HALOGENS
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
POLAR REGIONS
SIMULATION
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
VORTEX FLOW