Observed changes in the vertical profile of stratopheric nitrous oxide at Thule, Greenland, February - March 1992

• Main Authors: Reeves, John M., Dezafra, Robert L., Shindell, Drew T., Emmons, Louisa K.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 1994
• Subjects: GEOPHYSICS; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Greenland; Antarc*; Thule
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2060/19950004619

Using a ground-based mm-wave spectrometer, we have observed stratospheric N2O over Thule, Greenland (76.3 N, 68.4 W) during late February and March, 1992. Vertical profiles of mixing ratio ranging from 16 to 50 km were recovered from molecular emission spectra. The profiles of early March show an abrupt increase in the lower-stratosphere N2O mixing ratio similar to the spring-to-summer change associated with the break up of the Antarctic polar vortex. This increase is correlated with changes in potential vorticity, air temperature, and ozone mixing ratio.