Nitric oxide measurements in the Arctic winter stratosphere

Measurements of NO from five flights of the NASA ER-2 aircraft during the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition are presented. The NO values and vertical gradient near 60 deg N latitude are similar to previous measurements near 50 deg N in winter (Ridley et al., 1984, 1987). The NO latitudinal gr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fahey, D. W., Kawa, S. R., Chan, K. R.
Format: Other/Unknown Material
Language:unknown
Published: 1990
Subjects:
46
Online Access:http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19900041453
Description
Summary:Measurements of NO from five flights of the NASA ER-2 aircraft during the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition are presented. The NO values and vertical gradient near 60 deg N latitude are similar to previous measurements near 50 deg N in winter (Ridley et al., 1984, 1987). The NO latitudinal gradient is distinctly negative outside of the polar vortex, approaching zero at the boundary of the vortex, and remaining below the 20 pptv detection limit inside the vortex. Steady state NO2 and NO(x) (NO + NO2) are calculated from measured NO, O3, and ClO, and modeled photodissociation rates. NO(x) outside the vortex shows a negative dependence on latitude and solar zenith angle. Low NO(x) and NO(x)/NO(y), inside and near the vortex boundary may be indications of heterogeneous removal of ClONO2 and N2O5.