Skip to main content
Log in

NO2 total column evolution during the 1989 spring at Antarctica Peninsula

  • Published:
Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Ground-based visible differential absorption spectrometry during twilight has been used for NO2 total column observations at the Antarctica Peninsula, Marambio Base (64S, 56W), during the austral spring of 1989 (9 September to 25 November).

Results show moderate NO2 vertical column levels of 1.5 to 2.5×1015 molec cm-2 in the morning and 2 to 3×1015 molec cm-2 in the evening until middle October, highly modulated by planetary wave activity. From that date until the end of the period, a steady increase occurs which is associated with the rising of lower stratosphere temperature as the vortex weakens, reaching values of 5×1015 molec cm-2 in late November, with small a.m.-p.m. differences. NO2 is found to be positively correlated to both total ozone and 50 hPa temperature during the entire spring. However, when analyzing the departures from linear trends, a highly negative correlation has been observed from day 301 onwards.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barmore F.E., 1975, The filling-in of Fraunhofer lines in the day sky, J. Atmos. Sci. 32, 1489–1493.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brewer A.W., McElroy C.T., and Kerr J. B., 1973, Nitrogen dioxide concentrations in the stratosphere, Nature 246, 129–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coffey M. T., 1988, On the temporal change of stratospheric NO2, Geophys. Res. Lett. 15 (4), 331–334.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crutzen P. J., 1970, The influence of nitrogen oxides in the atmospheric ozone content, J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc. 96, 320–325.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elanski N. F., Arabov A. Y., Elokov A. S., and Senik I. A., 1984, Spatial and temporal variability of the NO2 total content based on annual observational data, in Atmospheric Ozone, D. Reidel, Dordrecht, pp. 157–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farman, Gardiner B. G., and Shanklin D. J., 1985, Large losses of total ozone in Antarctica reveal seasonal ClOx/NOx interaction, Nature 315, 207–210.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farmer C. B., Toon G. C., Schaper P. W., Blavier J. F., and Lowes L. L., 1987, Stratospheric trace gases in the spring 1986 Antarctic atmosphere, Nature 329, 126–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelman, M., 1989, Stratospheric temperature and geopotential analysis from NOAA satellites supplied by requirement in almost real time, unpublished.

  • Grainger J. F. and Ring J., 1962, Anomalous Fraunhofer line profiles, Nature 193, 762.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamill, P. and McMaster, L.R., 1984, Polar stratospheric clouds, NASA Conf. Pub. 2318.

  • Harrison A. W., 1979, Midsummer stratospheric NO2 at latitude 45° S, Can. J. Phys. 57, 1110–1117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison A. W. and Kendall D. J. W., 1974, Fraunhofer line filling in (3855–4455A), Can. J. Phys. 52, 940–944.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston P. V. and McKenzie R. L., 1989, NO2 observations at 45° S during the decreasing phase of solar cycle 21, from 1980 to 1987, J. Geophys. Res. 94, D3, 3473–3486.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kattawar G. W., Young A. T., and Humpreys T. J., 1981, Inelastic scattering in planetary atmospheres. 1. The ring effect without aerosols, Astrophys. J. 243, 1049–1057.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr J. B., Evans W. F. J., and McConnell J. C., 1977, The effects of NO2 changes at twilight on tangent ray NO2 measurements, Geophys. Res. Lett. 4 (12), 577–579.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keys J. G. and Gardiner B. G., 1991, NO2 overnight decay and layer height at Halley Bay, Antarctica, Geophys. Res. Lett. 4 (18), 665–668.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keys J. G. and Johnston P. V., 1986, Stratospheric NO2 and O3 in Antarctica: Dynamic and chemically controlled variations, Geophys. Res. Lett. 13 (N12), 1260–1263.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keys J. G. and Johnston P. V., 1988, Stratospheric NO2 column measurements from three antarctic sites, Geophys. Res. Lett. 15 (8), 898–902.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leroy B., Rigaud P., and Hicks E., 1987, Visible absorption cross-sections of NO2 at 298 and 235 K, Annals. Geophys. 5A (4), 247–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie R. L. and Johnston P. V., 1982, Seasonal varitions in stratospheric NO2 at 45° S, Geophys. Res. Lett. 9 (II), 1255–1258.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie R. L. and Johnston P. V., 1983, Stratospheric ozone observations simultaneous with NO2 at 45° S, Geophys. Res. Lett. 10 (4), 337–340.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie R. L., Johnston P. V., McElroy C. T., Kerr J. B., and Solomon S., 1991, Altitude distributions of stratospheric constituents from ground-based measurements at twilight, J. Geophys. Res. 96, 15499–15511.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMahon B. B. and Simmons E. L., 1980, Ground-based measurements of atmospheric NO2 by differential optical absorption, Nature 287, 710–711.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mount G. H., Sanders R. W., Schmeltekopf A. L., and Solomon S., 1987, Visible spectroscopy at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. 1. Overview and daily variations of NO2 and NO3, Austral spring, 1986, J. Geophys. Res. 92 (D7), 8320–8328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noxon J. F., 1975, Nitrogen dioxide in the stratosphere and troposphere measured by ground based absorption spectroscopy, Science 189, 547–549.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noxon J. F., 1979, Stratospheric NO2. Global behavior, J. Geophys. Res. 84, 5067–5076.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pommereau J. P. and Goutail F., 1988, Stratospheric O3 and NO2 observations at the southern polar circle in summer and fall 1988, Geophys. Res. Lett. 15 (8), 895–897.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shibazaki J., Iwagami N., and Ogawa T., 1986, Stratospheric NO2 observed by ground-based techniques at Syowa station, Geophys. Res. Lett. 13, Sup., 1268–1271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solomon S. and Garcia R. R., 1983, On the distribution of nitrogen dioxide in the high-latitude stratosphere, J. Geophys. Res. 88 (C9), 5229–5239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solomon S., Schmeltekopf A. L., and Sanders R. W., 1987, On the interpretation of Zenith Sky Absorption Measurements, J. Geophys. Res. 92 (D7), 8311–8319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Syed M. Q. and Harrison A. W., 1980, Ground-based observations of stratospheric nitrogen dioxide, Can. J. Phys. 58, 788–802.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahner A., Jakoubek R. O., Mount G. H., Ravishankara A. R., and Schmeltekopf A. L., 1989, Remote sensing observations of daytime column NO2 during the airborne Antarctic ozone experiment, J. Geophys. Res. 94(D14), 16619–16632.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gil, M., Cacho, J. NO2 total column evolution during the 1989 spring at Antarctica Peninsula. J Atmos Chem 15, 187–200 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00053759

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00053759

Key words

Navigation