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Spectroscopic measurement of free radicals (OH, NO3) in the atmosphere

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Summary

Due to their high chemical reactivity free radicals are the driving force for most chemical processes in the atmosphere, this is true, in particular, for OH- and NO3-radicals. Thus, knowledge of the concentration of those species in the atmosphere is a key requirement for the investigation of atmospheric chemistry. The low concentration of free radicals makes measurements particularly difficult, however. Among several techniques applied to the problem UV/visible differential absorption spectroscopy appears to be the most successful for the observation of OH and NO3. Detection limits of the order of 106 and 107 molec/cm3, respectively, have been reached, which are sufficiently low to resolve diurnal profiles of both species. The relative importance of both radicals in the NOx to nitric acid conversion is discussed.

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  1. Institut für Umweltphysik, Universität Heidelberg, INF 366, W-6900, Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany

    U. Platt

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  1. U. Platt
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Platt, U. Spectroscopic measurement of free radicals (OH, NO3) in the atmosphere. Fresenius J Anal Chem 340, 633–637 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00321525

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00321525

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