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Stratospheric N2O5, CH4, and N2O profiles from IR solar occultation spectra

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Abstract

Stratospheric volume mixing ratio profiles of N2O5, CH4, and N2O have been retrieved from a set of 0.052 cm−1 resolution (FWHM) solar occultation spectra recorded at sunrise during a balloon flight from Aire sur l'Adour, France (44° N latitude) on 12 October 1990. The N2O5 results have been derived from measurements of the integrated absorption by the 1246 cm−1 band. Assuming a total intensity of 4.32×10−17 cm−1/molecule cm−2 independent of temperature, the retrieved N2O5 volume mixing ratios in ppbv (parts per billion by volume, 10−9), interpolated to 2 km height spacings, are 1.64±0.49 at 37.5 km, 1.92±0.56 at 35.5 km, 2.06±0.47 at 33.5 km, 1.95±0.42 at 31.5 km, 1.60±0.33 at 29.5 km, 1.26±0.28 at 27.5 km, and 0.85±0.20 at 25.5 km. Error bars indicate the estimated 1-σ uncertainty including the error in the total band intensity (±20% has been assumed). The retrieved profiles are compared with previous measurements and photochemical model results.

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Laboratoire associé aux Universités Pierre et Marie Curie et Paris Sud.

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Camy-Peyret, C., Flaud, J.M., Perrin, A. et al. Stratospheric N2O5, CH4, and N2O profiles from IR solar occultation spectra. J Atmos Chem 16, 31–40 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00696622

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00696622

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