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Water vapor above 25 km altitude

  • Observational Results on Other Trace Substances
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Abstract

Recent balloon observations above 25 km altitude (three flights in April 1970, April and May 1971) have allowed us to record the solar spectrum from 1.81 to 1.89 μ and from 2.46 to 2.83 μ with a spectral resolution better than 0.04 cm−1.

Up to now, aside from the task of identifying new observed solar lines, the data have been analyzed in order to improve our knowledge on the concentration and distribution of H2O and CO2 in the upper stratospere.

Our deductions for atmospheric water vapor have mainly taken into consideration the measured amounts of contaminating H2O, carried at altitude by the equipment.

All our measurements have given H2O mixing ratios above 25 km altitude in the range

$$(3.5 \pm 1.5) \times 10^{ - 6} g g^{ - 1} .$$

The possibility of an increase of that mixing ratio near the stratopause is considered.

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References

  1. G. Gutnick,Mean Annual Mid-Latitude Moisture Profiles to 31 Km Altitude, Air Force Survey in Geophysics, No. 147, AFCRL-62-681, 1962.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut d'Astrophysique, Université de Liége, B-4200, Cointe-Ougree, Belgium

    R. Zander

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  1. R. Zander
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Zander, R. Water vapor above 25 km altitude. PAGEOPH 106, 1346–1351 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00881089

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00881089

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