A chemical ionization mass spectrometer has been developed for fast time response measurements of HNO3 in ambient air. The apparatus was characterized in an informal intercomparison campaign at Green Mountain Mesa in Boulder, Colorado. Nitric acid was measured over a wide range of meteorological conditions. Detection limits of less than 15 pptv for a 1 s integration period were routinely obtained. The apparatus was sufficiently sensitive to measure ambient levels of HNO3 for all conditions except for periods of fog or heavy precipitation when HNO3 mixing ratios were less than 10 pptv. ¿ 1998 American Geophysical Union