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Change in nature of stratospheric aerosol collected at 34°S

Abstract

AEROSOL collected from the stratosphere at Mildura (34.2°S, 142.1°E) has undergone a marked change in character after a period of about seven years with little variation. During the period 1970 to February 1977 aerosol collected by jet impaction at altitudes up to about 28 km has predominantly been sulphuric acid, except for a brief period in January 1972 when particles with a wide variation in morphology were observed1. The change reported here indicates a substantial incursion of ammonia into the stratosphere, sufficient to almost completely convert the sulphuric acid to one of the ammonium salts, either NH4HSO4 or (NH4)2SO4.

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References

  1. Bigg, E. K. J. Atmos. Sci. 33, 1080–1086 (1976).

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  2. Bigg, E. K., Ono, A. & Williams, J. A. Atmos. Environ. 8, 1–13 (1974).

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  3. Ayers, G. P. Atmos. Environ. 11, 391–395 (1977).

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GRAS, J. Change in nature of stratospheric aerosol collected at 34°S. Nature 271, 231–232 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/271231a0

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