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Osterman et al. 1997
Osterman, G.B., Salawitch, R.J., Sen, B., Toon, G.C., Stachnik, R.A., Pickett, H.M., Margitan, J.J., Blavier, J.-F. and Peterson, D.B. (1997). Balloon-borne measurements of stratospheric radicals and their precursors: Implications for the production and loss of ozone. Geophysical Research Letters 24: doi: 10.1029/97GL00921. issn: 0094-8276.

Measurements of hydrogen, nitrogen, and chlorine radicals from a balloon flight on 25 September 1993 from Ft. Sumner, NM provide an opportunity to quantify photochemical production and loss of stratospheric ozone. Ozone loss rates determined using measured radical concentrations agree fairly well with loss rates calculated using a photochemical model. Catalytic cycles involving OH and HO2 are shown to dominate photochemical loss of ozone for altitudes between 44 and 50 km. Reactions involving NO and NO2 are the dominant sink for ozone between 25 and 38 km. The total ozone loss rate determined from the measurements balances calculated production rates for altitudes between 30 and 40 km. However, loss of ozone exceeds production by ~35% between 42 and 50 km. The imbalance between production and loss of ozone above 42 km is larger than the uncertainty of any one of the critical kinetic parameters or species concentrations. No single adjustment to any of these parameters can simultaneously resolve the imbalance and satisfy constraints imposed by measured OH, HO2, NO2, and ClO. Our results are consistent with an additional mechanism for ozone production above 40 km other than photolysis of ground state O2.¿ 1997 American Geophysical Union

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Abstract

Keywords
Atmospheric Composition and Structure, Middle atmosphere—composition and chemistry, Atmospheric Composition and Structure, Chemical kinetic and photochemical properties
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
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American Geophysical Union
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