Stratospheric Aerosol Increases and Ozone Destruction: Implications from Mass Spectrometer Measurements

Chemical analysis of polar stratospheric cloud particles

A balloon-borne gondola carrying a particle analysis system, a backscatter sonde, and pressure and temperature sensors was launched from Kiruna, Sweden, on 25 January 1998. Measurements within polar stratospheric cloud layers inside the Arctic polar vortex show a close correlation between large backscatter ratios and enhanced particle-related water and nitric acid signals at low temperatures. Periodic structures in the data indicate the presence of lee waves. The H2O/HNO3 molar ratios are consistently found to be above 10 at atmospheric temperatures between 189 and 192 kelvin. Such high ratios indicate ternary solution particles of H2O, HNO3, and H2SO4 rather than the presence of solid hydrates.

Metastable Phases in Polar Stratospheric Aerosols

Phase changes in stratospheric aerosols were studied by cooling a droplet of sulfuric acid (H(2)SO(4)) in the presence of nitric acid (HNO(3)) and water vapor. A sequence of solid phases was observed to form that followed Ostwald's rule for phase nucleation. For stratospheric partial pressures at temperatures between 193 and 195 kelvin, a metastable ternary H(2)SO(4)-HNO(3) hydrate, H(2)SO(4) . HNO(3) . 5H(2)O, formed in coexistence with binary H(2)SO(4) . kH(2)O hydrates (k = 2, 3, and 4) and then transformed to nitric acid dihydrate, HNO(3) . 2H(2)O, within a few hours. Metastable HNO(3) . 2H(2)O always formed before stable nitric acid trihydrate, HNO(3).3H(2)O, under stratospheric conditions and persisted for long periods. The formation of metastable phases provides a mechanism for differential particle growth and sedimentation of HNO(3) from the polar winter stratosphere.

Vapor Pressures of Solid Hydrates of Nitric Acid: Implications for Polar Stratospheric Clouds

Thermodynamic data are presented for hydrates of nitric acid: HNO(3).H(2)O, HNO(3).2H(2)O, HNO(3).3H(2)O, and a higher hydrate. Laboratory data indicate that nucleation and persistence of metastable HNO(3).2H(2)O may be favored in polar stratospheric clouds over the slightly more stable HNO(3).3H(2)O. Atmospheric observations indicate that some polar stratospheric clouds may be composed of HNO(3).2H(2)O and HNO(3).3H(2)O. Vapor transfer from HNO(3).2H(2)O to HNO(3).3H(2)O could be a key step in the sedimentation of HNO(3), which plays an important role in the depletion of polar ozone.