A global inventory of stratospheric NOy from ACE-FTS

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Authors
Jones, A.
Qin, G.
Strong, K.
Walker, K.A.
McLinden, C.A.
Toohey, M.
Kerzenmacher, T.
Bernath, P.F.
Boone, C.D.
Discipline
Earth and related Environmental sciences
Subject
Atmospheric chemistry
Atmospherics
Budget control
Climatology
Fourier transforms
Nitric acid
Nitrogen
ACE-FTS
Atmospheric chemistry experiment
Atmospheric species
Data sets
Denitrification process
Energetic particles
Fourier transform spectrometers
Global inventories
Heterogeneous chemistry
Midlatitudes
Polar Regions
Polar vortex
Pressure surface
SCISAT-1
Trace-gases
Volume mixing ratios
Spacecraft instruments
ACE 1
atmospheric chemistry
atmospheric transport
climatology
concentration (composition)
data set
denitrification
FTIR spectroscopy
inventory
mesosphere
mixing ratio
nitrous oxide
polar region
polar vortex
pressure field
satellite imagery
stratosphere
trace gas
World Wide Web
Audience
Scientific
Date
2011Metadata
Show full item recordDescription
The Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) on board the Canadian SCISAT-1 satellite (launched in August 2003) measures over 30 different atmospheric species, including six nitrogen trace gases that are needed to quantify the stratospheric NOy budget. We combine volume mixing ratio (VMR) profiles for NO, NO2, HNO3, N2O5, ClONO2, and HNO4 to determine a zonally averaged NOy climatology on monthly and 3 month combined means (December–February, March–May, June–August, and September–November) at 5° latitude spacing and on 33 pressure surfaces. Peak NOy VMR concentrations (15–20 ppbv) are situated at about 3 hPa (∼40 km) in the tropics, while they are typically lower at about 10 hPa (∼30 km) in the midlatitudes. Mean NOy VMRs are similar in both the northern and southern polar regions, with the exception of large enhancements periodically observed in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere. These are primarily due to enhancements of NO due to energetic particle precipitation and downward transport. Other features in the NOy budget are related to descent in the polar vortex, heterogeneous chemistry, and denitrification processes. Comparison of the ACE-FTS NOy budget is made to both the Odin and ATMOS NOy data sets, showing in both cases a good level of agreement, such that relative differences are typically better than 20%. The NOy climatological products are available through the ACE website and are a supplement to the paper.
Citation
Jones, A.; Qin, G.; Strong, K.; Walker, K.A.; McLinden, C.A.; Toohey, M.; Kerzenmacher, T.; Bernath, P.F.; Boone, C.D. (2011). A global inventory of stratospheric NOy from ACE-FTS. , Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 116, Issue 17, D17304, DOI: 10.1029/2010JD015465.Identifiers
Type
Article
Peer-Review
Yes
Language
eng