Stratospheric BrO abundance measured by a balloon-borne submillimeterwave radiometer
Measurements of mixing ratio profiles of stratospheric bromine monoxide (BrO) were made using observations of BrO rotational line emission at 650.179 GHz by a balloon-borne SIS (superconductor-insulator-superconductor) submillimeterwave heterodyne limb sounder (SLS). The balloon was launched from Ft...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2013-03-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/13/3307/2013/acp-13-3307-2013.pdf |
| Summary: | Measurements of mixing ratio profiles of stratospheric bromine monoxide (BrO) were made using observations of BrO rotational line emission at 650.179 GHz by a balloon-borne SIS (superconductor-insulator-superconductor) submillimeterwave heterodyne limb sounder (SLS). The balloon was launched from Ft. Sumner, New Mexico (34° N) on 22 September 2011. Peak mid-day BrO abundance varied from 16 ± 2 ppt at 34 km to 6 ± 4 ppt at 16 km. Corresponding estimates of total inorganic bromine (Br<sub>y</sub>), derived from BrO vmr (volume mixing ratio) using a photochemical box model, were 21 ± 3 ppt and 11 ± 5 ppt, respectively. Inferred Br<sub>y</sub> abundance exceeds that attributable solely to decomposition of long-lived methyl bromide and other halons, and is consistent with a contribution from bromine-containing very short lived substances, Br<sub>y</sub><sup>VSLS</sup>, of 4 ppt to 8 ppt. These results for BrO and Br<sub>y</sub> were compared with, and found to be in good agreement with, those of other recent balloon-borne and satellite instruments. |
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| ISSN: | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |