Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions

• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: Tuck; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.495.7579; http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/6/S3573/2006/acpd-6-S3573-2006.pdf

Interactive comment on “Nitrogen and oxygen isotopic constraints on the origin of atmospheric nitrate in coastal Antarctica ” by J. Savarino et al. J. Savarino et al. Received and published: 5 October 2006 We thank Adrian Tuck for his comments. We acknowledge his work done on the me-teorology and dynamic of the stratosphere. We agree that the denitrification and de-hydration of the stratosphere is a complex phenomenon that is far from being spatially uniform over the entire vortex and at its edges. However, as a first study ever made on the complete nitrate isotopic composition in Antarctica, we consciously choose a simplification of the denitrification process, assuming a spatially uniform and isotropic denitrification process. Our aim here is to give the general directions on which further studies can sit on. In a second step, only when inter-annual variability being docu-mented, we will be able to move forward and compare the stratospheric dynamic with the nitrate isotopic signal. We have archived more than 5 years of continuous aerosol collection, and such work is planned in the future. Regarding the possible isotopic