Reactive nitrogen and its correlation with ozone in the lower Stratosphere and upper Troposhere

Journal Article · Thu May 20 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/92JD00681· OSTI ID:6458420

Murphy, D M; Fahey, D W; Liu, S C; Kelly, K K ^[1]; Proffitt, M H; Eubank, C S; Kawa, S R ^[2]; Chan, K R ^[3]

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1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO (United States)
2. Aeronomy Lab., National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO (United States) Univ. of Colorado, Boulder (United States)
3. NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (United States)

The authors report on measurements of reactive nitrogen NO[sub y] and ozone O[sub 3] densities, and their correlations, in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere as part of the Stratosphere-Troposphere Exchange Project (STEP), Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment (AAOE), and Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE). Measurements were made from ER-2 aircraft in all these experiments. Reactive nitrogen measurements allow one to look at the total nitrogen load as it relates to atmospheric chemistry, and not have to follow each species and the complicated relationships they have in the atmosphere. A strong correlation is found between NO[sub y] and O[sub 3] in the lower stratosphere, but it is much weaker in the upper troposphere. Data is presented as the ratio of the two, and compared with model calculations, where an observed gradient from the tropics toward mid latitudes is not seen in the models. Lightning production of NO[sub y] may account for the lack of correlation in the upper troposphere. NO[sub y] condensation onto aerosols can also affect observed concentrations. In the tropical regions there are significant enough NO[sub y] densities in the upper troposphere to allow convective transport into the stratosphere.

• OSTI ID: 6458420
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 98:D5; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AEROSOLS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
COLLOIDS
CORRELATIONS
DISPERSIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
LIGHTNING
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
PRODUCTION
SOLS
STRATOSPHERE
TROPICAL REGIONS
TROPOSPHERE