Atmospheric lifetimes of CFC 11 and CFC 12

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL009i006p00700· OSTI ID:6724874

Owens, A J; Steed, J M; Miller, C; Filkin, D L; Jesson, J P

A two-dimensional (2-D) chemical model of the atmosphere is used to investigate the stratospheric removal rates of the chlorofluorocarbons CFC 11 (CFCl/sub 3/) and CFC 12 (CF/sub 2/Cl/sub 2/). Assuming equivalent vertical transport rates, one-dimensional (1-D) models are shown to overestimate the atmospheric lifetime of CFC 11 by approx.10% because of their neglect of latitudinal effects. The present Du Pont 1-D and 2-D models have somewhat different effective transport rates and give steady state CFC 11 atmospheric lifetimes of 75 and 60 years, respectively, assuming no tropospheric destructive mechanism. For CFC 12, the corresponding calculated lifetimes are 140 and 120 years.

• Research Organization: Experimental Station, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, DE 19898
• OSTI ID: 6724874
• Journal Information: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 9:6; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
DIFFUSION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
FREONS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOLYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
STRATOSPHERE
TROPOSPHERE
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS