Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Denitrification through PSC formation: A 1-D model incorporating temperature oscillations

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

Abstract

A one-dimensional model of polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) formation and evolution during the polar winter, incorporating both HNO3 and H2O condensation, has been developed to investigate the interactions between Type I and Type II PSCs and the effects of these clouds on the stratospheric composition. Model simulations for various meteorological conditions and the results of extensive sensitivity tests are presented. Temperature oscillations, which have been included in the model, are shown to have an important influence on the characteristics and effects of the PSCs. The predicted proportions of the PSCs are consistent with observations of number, size, and optical effects, such as depolarization. Denitrification of stratospheric air by 35–88% is shown to occur in the presence of both Type I and Type II PSCs, with comparable nitrate removal in both types of clouds. Dehydration by Type II clouds simultaneously removes similar percentages of water vapour, up to 79% at lower altitudes. Altough dehydration is insensitive to most of the parameter variations except the minimum temperature, the process of denitrification, especially the proportion removed by Type I PSCs, is highly variable.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

  • Browell, E. V., Butler, C. F., Ismail, S., Robinette, P. A., Carter, A. F., Higdon, N. S., Toon, O. B., Schoeberl, M. R., and Tuck, A. F., 1990, Airborne Lidar observations in the wintertime Arctic stratosphere: Polar stratospheric clouds, Geophys. Res. Lett. 17, 385–388.

    Google Scholar 

  • Browell, E. V., Poole, L. R., McCormick, M. P., Ismail, S., Butler, C. F., Kooi, S. A., Szedlmayer, M. S., Jones, R., Krueger, A., and Tuck, A., 1988, Large-scale variations in ozone and polar stratospheric clouds measured with airborne Lidar during formation of the 1987 ozone hole over Antarctica, paper presented at Polar Ozone Workshop, Snowmass in Aspen, Colorado, 9–13 May, 1988.

  • Chan, K. R., Scott, S. G., Bui, T. P., Bowen, S. W., and Day, J., 1989, Temperature and horizontal wind measurements on the ER-2 aircraft during the 1987 Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 11573–11587.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coffey, M. T., Mankin, W. G., and Goldman, A., 1989, Airborne measurements of stratospheric constituents over Antarctica in the Austral spring, 1987. 2. Halogen and nitrogen trace gases, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 16597–16613.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crutzen, P. J. and Arnold, F., 1986, Nitric acid cloud formation in the cold Antarctic stratosphere: a major cause for the springtime ‘ozone hole’, Nature 324, 651–655.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott, S., Turco, R. P., Toon, O. B., and Hamill, P., 1990, Incorporation of stratospheric acids into water ice, Geophys. Res. Lett. 17, 425–428.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fahey, D. W., Kelly, K. K., Ferry, G. V., Poole, L. R., Wilson, J. C., Murphy, D. M., Loewenstein, M., and Chan, R. K., 1989a, In situ measurements of total reactive nitrogen, total water, and aerosol in a polar stratospheric cloud in the Antarctic, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 11299–11315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fahey, D. W., Murphy, D. M., Kelly, K. K., Ko, M. K. W., Proffitt, M. H., Eubank, C. S., Ferry, G. V., Loewenstein, M., and Chan, K. R., 1989b, Measurements of nitric oxide and total reactive nitrogen in the Antarctic stratosphere: Observations and chemical implications, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 16665–16681.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher, N. H., 1958, Size effect in heterogeneous nucleation, J. Chem. Phys. 29, 572–576.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gandrud, B. W., Sperry, P. D., Sanford, L., Kelly, K. K., Ferry, G. V., and Chan, K. R., 1989, Filter measurement results from the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 11285–11297.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, J., Toon, O. B., Pueschel, R. F., Snetsinger, K. G., and Verma, S., 1989, Antarctic stratospheric ice crystals, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 16449–16457.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamill, P., Turco, R. P., and Toon, O. B., 1988, On the growth of nitric and sulfuric acid particles under stratospheric conditions, J. Atmos. Chem. 7, 287–315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, D. and Mauersberger, K., 1988, Laboratory studies of the nitric acid trihydrate: Implications for the south polar stratosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett. 15, 855–858.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann, D. J., 1989, Direct ozone depletion in springtime Antarctic lower stratospheric clouds, Nature 337, 447–449.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann, D. J., 1990, Stratospheric cloud micro-layers and small-scale temperature variations in the Arctic in 1989, Geophys. Res. Lett. 17, 369–372.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann, D. J., Rosen, J. M., Harder, J. W., and Hereford, J. V., 1989, Balloon-borne measurements of aerosol, condensation nuclei, and cloud particles in the stratosphere at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, during the spring of 1987, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 11253–11269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaramillo, M., deZafra, R. L., Barrett, J., Emmons, L. K., Solomon, P. M., and Parrish, A., 1989, Measurements of stratospheric hydrogen cyanide at McMurdo Station, Antarctica: Further evidence of winter stratospheric subsidence? J. Geophys. Res. 94, 16773–16777.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, K. K., Tuck, A. F., Murphy, D. M., Proffitt, M. H., Fahey, D. W., Jones, R. L., McKenna, D. S., Loewenstein, M., Podolske, J. R., Strahan, S. E., Ferry, G. V., Chan, K. R., Vedder, J. F., Gregory, G. L., Hypes, W. D., McCormick, M. P., Browell, E. V., and Heidt, L. E., 1989, Dehydration in the lower Antarctic stratosphere during late winter and early spring 1987, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 11317–11357.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kent, G. S., Poole, L. R., and McCormick, M. P., 1986, Characteristics of Arctie polar stratospheric clouds as measured by airborne Lidar, J. Atmos. Sci. 43, 2149–2161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinne, S., Toon, O. B., Toon, G., Farmer, C. B., and Browell, E. V. and McCormick, M. P., 1989, Measurements of size and composition of particles in polar stratospheric clouds from infrared solar absorption spectra, 1989, J. Geophys. REs. 94, 16481–16491.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCormick, M. P., Steele, H. M., Hamill, P., Chu, W. P., and Swissler, T. J., 1982, Polar stratospheric cloud sightings by SAM II, J. Atmos. Sci. 39, 1387–1397.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCormick, M. P. and Trepte, C. R., 1986, SAM II measurements of Antarctic PSCs and aerosols, Geophys. Res. Lett. 13, 1276–1279.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCormick, M. P., Trepte, C. R., and Pitts, M. C., 1989, Persistence of polar stratospheric clouds in the southern polar region, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 11241–11251.

    Google Scholar 

  • McElroy, M. B., Salawitch, R. J., and Wofsy, S. C., 1986, Antarctic O3: Chemical mechanisms for the spring decrease, Geophys. Res. Lett. 13, 1296–1299.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, D. M., Tuck, A. F., Kelly, K. K., Chan, K. R., Loewenstein, M., Podolske, J. R., Proffitt, M. H., and Strahan, S. E., 1989, indicators of transport and vertical motion from correlations between in situ measurements in the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 11669–11685.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray, F. W., 1967, On the computation of saturation vapour pressure, J. Appl. Meteor. 6, 203–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinnick, R. G., Rosen, J. M., and Hofmann, D. J., 1976, Stratospheric aerosol measurements III: Optical model calculations, J. Atmos. Sci. 33, 304–314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poole, L. R. and McCormick, M. P., 1988a, Airborne Lidar observations of arctic polar stratospheric clouds: Indications of two distinct growth stages, Geophys. Res. Lett. 15, 21–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poole, L. R. and McCormick, M. P., 1988b, Polar stratospheric clouds and the antarctic ozone hole, J. Geophys. Res. 93, 8423–8430.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poole, L. R., McCormick, M. P., Browell, E. V., Trepte, C. R., Fahey, D. W., Kelly, K. K., Ferry, G. V., Pueschel, R., and Jones, R. L., 1988a, Extinction and backscatter measurements of Antarctic PSCs, 1987: Implications for particle and vapor removal, paper presented at Polar Ozone Workshop, Snowmasss in Aspen, Colorado, 9–13 May 1988.

  • Poole, L. R., Osborn, M. T., and Hunt, W. H., 1988b, Lidar observations of Arctic polar stratospheric clouds, 1988: Signature of small, solid particles above the frost point, Geophys. Res. Lett. 15, 867–870.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pruppacher, H. R. and Klett, J. D., 1978, Microphysics of Clouds and Precipitation, D. Reidel, Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pueschel, R. F., Snetsinger, K. G., Goodman, J. K., Toon, O. B., Ferry, G. V., Oberbeck, V. R., Livingston, J. M., Verma, S., Fong, W., Starr, W. L., and Chan, R. K., 1989, Condensed nitrate, sulfate and chloride in the Antarctic stratospheric aerosols, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 11271–11284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, J. M., Oltman, S. J., and Evans, W. F., 1989, Balloon borne observations of PSCs, frost point, ozone, and nitric acid in the north polar vortex, Geophys. Res. Lett. 16, 791–794.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salawitch, R. J., Gobbi, G. P., Wofsy, S. C., and McElroy, M. B., 1989, Denitrification in the Antarctic stratosphere, Nature 339, 525–527.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salawitch, R. J., Wofsy, S. C., and McElroy, M. B., 1988, Influence of polar stratospheric clouds on the depletion of antarctic ozone, Geophys. Res. Lett. 15, 871–874.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steele, H. M., Hamill, P., McCormick, M. P., and Swissler, T. J., 1983, The formation of polar stratospheric clouds, J. Atmos. Sci. 40, 2055–2067.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toon, G. C., Farmer, C. B., Lowes, L. L., Schaper, P. W., Blavier, J.-F., and Horton, R. H., 1989a, Infrared aircraft measurements of stratospheric composition over Antarctica during September 1987, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 16571–16596.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toon, O. B., Hamill, P., Turco, R. P., and Pinto, J., 1986, Condensation of HNO3 and HCl in the winter polar stratospheres, Geophys. Res. Lett. 13, 1284–1287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toon, O. B., Turco, R. P., and Hamill, P., 1990, Denitrification mechanisms in the polar stratospheres, Geophys. Res. Lett. 17, 445–448.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toon, O. B., Turco, R. P., Jordan, J., Goodman, J., and Ferry, G., 1989b, Physical processes in polar stratospheric ice clouds, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 11359–11380.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toon, O. B., Turco, R. P., Westphal, D., Malone, R., and Liu, M. S., 1988, A multidimensional model for aerosols: Description of computational analogs, J. Atmos. Sci. 45, 2123–2143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turco, R. P., Hamill, P., Toon, O. B., Whitten, R. C., and Kiang, C. S., 1979a, A one-dimensional model describing aerosol formation and evolution in the stratosphere: I. Physical processes and mathematical analogs, J. Atmos. Sci. 36, 699–717.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turco, R. P., Hamill, P., Toon, O. B., Whitten, R. C., and Kiang, C. S., 1979b, The NASA-Ames Research Center stratospheric aerosol model. I. Physical processes and computational analogs, NASA Tech. Paper, 1362.

  • Turco, R. P., Toon, O. B., and Hamill, P., 1989, Heterogeneous physicochemistry of the polar ozone hole, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 16493–16510.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watterson, I. G. and Tuck, A. F., 1989, A comparison of the longitudinal distributions of polar stratospheric clouds and temperatures for the 1987 Antarctic spring, J. Geophys. Res. 94, 16511–16525.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. R. P. Turco

    Present address: University of California, Los Angeles, U.S.A.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany

    K. Drdla

  2. University of California, Los Angeles, U.S.A.

    R. P. Turco

Authors
  1. K. Drdla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. P. Turco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Drdla, K., Turco, R.P. Denitrification through PSC formation: A 1-D model incorporating temperature oscillations. J Atmos Chem 12, 319–366 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00114773

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00114773

Keywords

Search

Navigation