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Observations of major stratospheric chlorine species. Final scientific report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6813753

A cryogenic whole air sampler (Tri-Sampler) and a Direct Flow Sampler (DFS), a motor-driven filter sampler, are used simultaneously on a balloon platform with the goal of sampling all significant stratospheric chlorine compounds to permit determination of total chlorine content in the lower stratosphere, Gas chromatographic techniques are applied to the retrieved whole air samples, to determine volume mixing ratios of CF2Cl2, CFCl3, CH3Cl, CH3CCl3, and CCl4. Specially treated filters are used with the DFS to capture all acidic and participate chlorine compounds. The filter samples are analyzed using wet chemistry and neutron-activation analysis techniques. Three balloon flights were conducted during 1981-1982 and simultaneous samplings were obtained at various altitudes form 15 to 30 km. Mixing-ratio lapse rates for the species analyzed by gas chromatography are consistent with those species being of tropospheric origin. Also, stratospheric abundances of CFCl3 and CF2Cl2 exhibited minimal changes over several years, although the tropospheric abundances of these species are known to increase at about 10 percent per year in the northern hemisphere.

Research Organization:
Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (USA)
OSTI ID:
6813753
Report Number(s):
AD-A-138646/5; AFGL-TR-83-0284; AFGL-ERP-860
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English