Formation of model polar stratospheric cloud films

Journal Article · Thu Dec 24 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/92GL02635· OSTI ID:7065982

Middlebrook, A M; Koehler, B G; McNeill, L S; Tolbert, M A ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder (United States)

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to examine the competitve growth of films representative of polar stratospheric clouds. These experiments show that either crystalline nitric acid trihydrate ([beta]-NAT) or amorphous films with H[sub 2]O:HNO[sub 3] ratios close to 3:1 formed at temperatures 3-7 K warmer than the ice frost point under stratospheric pressure conditions. In addition, with higher HNO[sub 3] pressures the authors observed nitric acid dihydrate (NAD) formation at temperatures warmer than ice formation. However, their experiments also show that NAD surfaces converted to [beta]-NAT upon exposure to stratospheric water pressures. Finally, the authors determined that the net uptake coefficient for HNO[sub 3] on [beta]-NAT is close to unity, whereas the net uptake coefficient for H[sub 2]O is much less. 13 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 7065982
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 19:24; ISSN GPRLAJ; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CHEMISTRY
CLOUDS
COENZYMES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FILMS
FROST
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ICE
INFRARED RADIATION
INORGANIC ACIDS
NAD
NITRIC ACID
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
RADIATIONS
SPECTROSCOPY
STRATOSPHERE
SURFACES
SYNTHESIS
TEMPERATURE RANGE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
UPTAKE
WATER