A global analysis of the ozone deficit in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere

Journal Article · Wed Jan 20 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/92JD01912· OSTI ID:6919417

Eluszkiewicz, J; Allen, M ^[1]

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1. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (United States)

The global measurements of temperature, ozone, water vapor, and nitrogen dioxide acquired by the Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS), supplemented by a precomputed distribution of chlorine monoxide, are used to test the balance between odd oxygen production and loss in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere. An efficient photochemical equilibrium model, validated by comparison with the results from a fully time-dependent one-dimensional model at selected latitudes, is used in the calculations. The computed ozone abundances are systematically lower than observations for May 1-7, 1979, which suggests, contrary to the conclusions of other recent studies, a problem in model simulations of stratospheric ozone. The ozone deficit' at 30[degrees]N is smaller than previous analyses of LIMS data have indicated. In the stratosphere, this reduction in the deficit is due to the fact that CIO abundances for the 1979 period utilized in this study are much lower than in earlier work, mainly as a result of lower Cl[sub y] concentrations. In the mesosphere, a correlation of the ozone deficit with the distribution of water vapor is indicated. The ozone deficit in the stratosphere can be eliminated by modifying only one model reaction rate: either by decreasing the rate of odd oxygen loss or by increasing the rate of odd oxygen production Cl[sub y] increasing the photodissociation rate of molecular oxygen primarily in the Herzberg continuum and/or invoking photolysis of vibrationally excited molecular oxygen. With the ozone abundances thus increased, a small residual deficit in the lower mesophere can be eliminated by reducing, within the recommended kinetic uncertainties, the efficiency of odd hydrogen-catalyzed odd oxygen loss. With the adjusted model, the calculated ozone abundances for the week of January 1-7. 1979, outside of winter latitudes, also agree with the LIMS observations to within 10%. 49 refs., 15 figs., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 6919417
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 98:D1; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
CALCULATION METHODS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINE
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
HALOGENS
LAYERS
MONITORING
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
OZONE
OZONE LAYER
PHOTOCHEMISTRY