Stratospheric NO, NO sub 2 , and N sub 2 O sub 5 : A comparison of model results with Spacelab 3 atmospheric trace molecule spectroscopy (ATMOS) measurements

Journal Article · Mon Aug 20 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)

OSTI ID:6100802

Allen, M; Delitsky, M L ^[1]

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1. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (USA)

Photochemical model calculations utilizing updated reaction rate constants and photo-cross sections and constrained by Spacelab 3 (May 1985) Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment measurements of species abundances and atmospheric parameters yield NO/NO{sub 2} abundance ratios in excellent agreement (< 25-30% differences: the measurement uncertainties) with the ATMOS 30{degree}N sunset and 47{degree}S sunrise results between {approximately} 20 and {approximately} 50 km. Over this altitude range the NO/NO{sub 2} ratio is varying by a factor of 100. At 25 km and above {approximately} 40 km, difficulties in retrieving abundances from occultation spectra for the rapidly diurnally varying NO or NO{sub 2} may contribute to the larger discrepancies with the model values. The agreement between model and observations for most of the stratosphere serves to confirm key aspects of current stratospheric chemical models. In addition, model results for N{sub 2}O{sub 5} at 47{degree}S sunrise reproduce the ATMOS measurements, supporting the current simple scheme in models for sequestering NO{sub x} in the N{sub 2}O{sub 5} nighttime reservoir. However, the model values at 30{degree}N sunset are as much as a factor of 3.5 larger than the corresponding ATMOS N{sub 2}O{sub 5} observations. Agreement between calculations and measurements occurs when the N{sub 2}O{sub 5} photodissociation rate constants are increased by 50-75%.

• OSTI ID: 6100802
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Vol. 95:D9; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
NITRIC OXIDE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
STRATOSPHERE
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ALTITUDE
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DAILY VARIATIONS
DISSOCIATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOLYSIS
SPACE VEHICLES
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
KINETICS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
VARIATIONS
VEHICLES
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport- (1990-)