Balloon observations of nitric acid aerosol formation in the Arctic stratosphere: I. Gaseous nitric acid

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i009p01275· OSTI ID:6252505

Schlager, H; Arnold, F ^[1]; Hofmann, D; Deshler, T

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1. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (West Germany)

Measurements of the altitude distributions of gaseous nitric acid and aerosols were made in the winter arctic stratosphere using balloon-borne mass spectrometer and aerosol counter techniques. The measurements took place under conditions of very low stratospheric temperatures, with minimum values of 186 K around 24 km altitude being about 6 degrees below the existence temperature (T(NAT)) for NAT (Nitric Acid Trihydrate) aerosols. At these heights, a local depletion of gaseous nitric acid by up to about 60% was observed suggesting the occurrence of nitric acid incorporation into aerosols, which were in fact observed and whose inferred nitric acid content is roughly consistent with the missing gaseous nitric acid. The data suggest that rapid formation of NAT-aerosols associated with substantial condensational depletion of gaseous nitric acid occurred only at temperatures of about 3 to 4 degrees below T(NAT) corresponding to large HNO{sub 3}-supersaturations, which are probably required for activation of a major fraction of preexisting condensation nuclei.

• OSTI ID: 6252505
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA) Vol. 17:9; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AEROSOLS
AIRSHIPS
ALTITUDE
ARCTIC REGIONS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
BALLOONS
CHEMISTRY
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
HYDRATES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
LOW TEMPERATURE
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
NITRIC ACID
OZONE
POLAR REGIONS
SATURATION
SOLS
SPECTROSCOPY
STRATOSPHERE
SUPERSATURATION
SYNTHESIS