Uptake of reactive nitrogen on cirrus cloud particles in the upper troposphere and lowermost stratosphere

Authors :: Kondo, Y.
Toon, O. B.
Irie, H.
Gamblin, B.
Koike, M.
Takegawa, N.
Tolbert, M. A.
Hudson, P. K.
Viggiano, A. A.
Avallone, L. M.
Hallar, A. G.
Anderson, B. E.
Sachse, G. W.
Vay, S. A.
Hunton, D. E.
Ballenthin, J. O.
Miller, T. M.
Source :: Geophysical Research Letters; February 2003, Vol. 30 Issue: 4
Publication Year :: 2003
Abstract: NOy(total reactive nitrogen) contained in ice particles was measured on board the NASA DC‐8 aircraft in the Arctic in January and March 2000. During some of the flights, the DC‐8 encountered widespread cirrus clouds. Large quantities of ice particles were observed at 8–12 km and particulate NOyshowed large increases. The data indicate that the amount of NOycovering the cirrus ice particles strongly depended on temperature. Similar measurements were made in the upper troposphere over the tropical Pacific Ocean in August–September 1998 and 1999. The data obtained in the Arctic and tropics show very limited uptake of NOyon ice at temperatures above 215 K.

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